Auction Update Review
The Stormy Season
For the week ending Saturday
November 10th 13 auctions were archived to the AED, 2 in British
pounds, 3 in euros and 7 in US dollars.
Four thousand and twenty-four lots were offered and 3,061 sold for a 76%
success rate. Total turnover was
$6,771,611, 70% of the aggregate high estimate of all lots offered: $9,701,371.
The uncertainty associated with the American fiscal cliff seems the
likely culprit for softness in the rooms.
Representative Behner’s quickly enunciated willingness to cooperate,
after the election of President Obama, may ultimately lead to a grand bargain
but until such an agreement is reached the auction rooms may be held
hostage. The hearty will look past the
short term economic uncertainty toward what is shaping up as a good to very good
2013 if the Congress does not bury the economy alive.
Two sales reached a million
dollars:
Doyle New York. Photographs and Prints on November 5th: $2,532,960
Swann Galleries. Old Master through Modern Prints; including
Salvador Dali Prints, Drawings, Art Books:
$2,068,542
Two sales saw their sales reach
100% of their aggregate high estimates:
Remy Le Fur & Associes. Bibliotheque de Pierre Lacam on October 31st: 210%
Doyle New York. Photographs and Prints on November 5th: 119%
Four sales saw 80% of their lots sell:
Remy Le Fur & Associes. Bibliotheque de Pierre Lacam on October 31st: 100%
Aspire Auctions. Prints internet sale ended November 2nd: 96%
Doyle New York. Photographs and Prints on November 5th: 86%
Leslie Hindman. Fine Books and Manuscripts on November 7th: 85%
For the week ahead 38 sales are
scheduled. Most are currently searchable
in the AE Upcoming Auction Search. As to
today 12,392 of these lots are available.
Monday Nov. 12th Artcurial Bries-Le Fur-Poulain.
Tajan. Historic Memories and Antiques
Arms [19575]. 7 lots
Bonhams. Prints [20069]. 126 lots
Christie’s. Andy Warhol Benefit [2766]. 356 lots
Neret
– Minet & Tessier. Comic Strips
[14093]. 390 lots
Tuesday Nov. 13th Bonhams.
Books, Maps and Manuscripts [20139].
248 lots
Bruun
Rasmussen. Dan Fog Music Book Store
[1246]. 1 lot
Burgersdijk
& Niermans. Books [336]. 1,110 lots
Galerie
Koller. Books [651]. 66 lots
Wed. Nov. 14th Bloomsbury Auctions. Old Master to 20th Century Prints
& Drawings and Vintage
Posters [35990].
463 lots
Burgersdijk
& Niermans. Books [336]. 1,110 lots
Dominic
Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books,
Maps and Documents [111412]
Freeman’s. Pennsylvania Sale [1446]. 125 lots
Freeman’s. Historic Muhlenberg Property from a Private
Collection [1446A]. 27 lots
Thurs. Nov. 15th Bloomsbury Auctions. Old Master to 20th Prints &
Drawings and Vintage Posters [35990].
463 lots
Gonnelli
Casa d’Aste. Books, Manuscripts,
Autographs: 790 lots
Dominic
Winter Book Auctions. The Collectors
Sale: Aviation, Motoring and other
Transport [111512]
Heritage
Auctions. Comics and Comic Art [7066]. 2,025 lots
Heritage
Auctions. Rare Books Internet bidding
ends today. 392 lots
Neret
– Minet & Tessier. Photographs and
Books [14094]. 278 lots
PBA
Galleries. Rare Manuscripts and Archives
[493]. 174 lots
Piasa. Ancient and Modern Prints [19944]
Profiles
in History. Historical Documents
[111512]. 174 lots
Skinner,
Inc. Fine Books and Manuscripts [2620M]. 137 lots
Sotheby’s. Travel, Atlases, Maps and Natural History
[L12405]. 339 lots
Swann
Galleries. American Art * Contemporary
Art [2294]. 171 lots
Friday Nov. 16th Christie’s. Photographs [3514]. 196 lots
Gonnelli
Casa d’Aste. Books, Manuscripts,
Autographs: 790 lots
Dominic
Winter Book Auctions. The Collector’s
Sale: Militaria, Railway Part V [111612]
Heritage
Auctions. Comics and Comic Art [7066]. 2,025 lots
Sotheby’s. Photographs [PF1222]
Romantic
Agony. Books and Prints [49]
Saturday Nov. 17th Addison and Sarova. Rare and Fine Books [1002]. 225 lots
Christie’s. Photographs [3514]. 196 lots
Gonnelli
Casa d’Aste. Prints and Drawings
[11b]. 394 lots
Heritage
Auctions. Photographs [5119]
Romantic
Agony. Books and Prints [49]
Sunday Nov. 18th Bonhams.
Prints [20070]
ERA
Encheres. Rare and Ancient Books about
Regionalism [18804]
National
Book Auctions. Books, Art, Ephemera, and
Collectibles [111812]
Piasa. Herge:
Comic Strips [20011]
Skinner,
Inc. Fine Books and Manuscripts [2621B]. 704 lots
What with the American elections
and hurricane damage in the New York area it has been a complicated two
weeks. Sales, long scheduled, are coming
up. The opportunities are appealing, the
chance to support both consignors and auction houses equally important. At moments like this we are reminded that,
while acting individually, we are also part of a complex unique community.
Bruce McKinney
AE
November 11th, 2012