For the week ending Saturday January 18th 18 sales were archived to the AED; 7 in euros, 2 in British pounds, and 9 in US dollars.  Turnover was $4,147,677 as 4,667 lots were offered 4,238 sold for a 91% success rate.  Five sales saw total proceeds exceed 100% of the total of the high estimates of all lots offered.  Fifteen sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell.

5 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered: 

PIASA. Ancient and Modern Prints on November 13th: 174.72%
PIASA. H.M. Petiet on December 5th: 169.26%
PIASA. Manuscripts on November 20th: 157.67%
Lyon and Turnbull. Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts on January 15th: 110.86%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. The Layne Christensen Corporate Collection of American Art on January 10th: 107.62%

15 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:

PIASA. Photographs on November 19th: 100.00%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. The Layne Christensen Corporate Collection of American Art on January 10th: 100.00%
PIASA. Ancient and Modern Photographs on October 10th: 100.00%
PIASA. H.M. Petiet on December 5th: 100.00%
PIASA. Manuscripts on November 20th: 99.44%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 1/5 on January 12th: 99.09%
PIASA. Tin Tin on December 1st: 98.94%
PIASA. Ancient and Modern Prints on November 13th: 98.84%
Doyle New York. The Yale R. Burge Collection: Prints and Books on January 15th: 94.12%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet Bidstart 1/5 on January 12th: 92.93%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints and Photographs on January 12th: 88.78%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on January 14th: 87.30%
Lyon and Turnbull. Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts on January 15th: 86.27%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 1/9 on January 16th: 83.04%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 1/2 on January 9th: 80.56%

For the week ahead 20 sales are scheduled:

Tue. Jan. 21st
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Modern and Contemporary Prints. 54 lots
Christies. London -South Kensington. Christies Interiors - Prints. 5 lots

Wed. Jan. 22nd
Morton Casa de Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Documents, Prints and Antique Books. 299 lots
Binoche et Giquello. rue La Boetie, Paris. Books, Ephemera, Photographs.
Christies. London - King Street. Michael Inchbald: A Legacy of Design - Prints. 3 lots
Christies. London -South Kensington. The Ski Sale - Posters.

Thu. Jan. 23rd
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 1/16.
RR Auction. Amherst. Hollywood - bidstart 1/15. 597 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. 20th Century Illustration. 268 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Bibliophile. 581 lots

Fri. Jan. 24th
Sothebys. New York. Important Americana. 21 lots
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Hudson. Prints.
Vermot de Pas. Paris. Books XXth, Documentation about Art XXth, Photographie XXth, Posters May 68. 474 lots

Sat. Jan. 25th
Eldreds. East Dennis,. Books, Prints, Photographs. 41 lots
Guernseys. New York, NY. Audubon Engravings, Roger Tory Peterson Photographs. 256 lots

Sun. Jan. 26th
Bonhams. Los Angeles. Entertainment Memorabilia. 353 lots
Bonhams. San Francisco. Prints. 29 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 1/19.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet Bidstart 1/19.
National Book Auctions. Ithaca. Books and Ephemera.

Three weeks in the year already has the feeling of contending forces.  Many dealers have reported good to strong sales in 2013 and they are hopeful for a continuation.  The book fairs are also heavily subscribed and the auction calendar is filling. On AE paid sign-ups are up 40% over the same period last year.

This year the weekly auction updates are sponsored and this  week the Arader Galleries are highlighting their sale of Audubon pirnts and other printed collectibles on January 25th.  Guernsey is conducting the sale at the Arader Gallery's 1016 Madison Avenue location. 

The Arader Galleries

1016 Madison Avenue

New York, New York

Telephone:  212.626-7825 

Direct link to the auction

This is the new reality and the market seems healthy.

Bruce McKinney

AE

January 18th, 2014