Auction Update Review
The Crescendo is Near
For the week ended Saturday November 22nd 36 sales were archived to the AED; 13 in euros, 8 in British pounds, and 15 in US dollars. Turnover was $26,313,367 as 10,019 lots were offered and 7,375 sold for a 74% success rate. It was a busy week.
7 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:
Sothebys. Man Ray on November 15th: $3,391,969
Christies. 20/21 Photographs on November 14th: $3,149,063
Christies. Valuable Manuscripts and Printed Books on November 19th: $2,765,751
Sothebys. Photographs on November 14th: $2,592,219
Christies. Highlights from the Erotic Library of Tony Fekete on November 18th: $2,012,936
Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on November 20th: $1,892,831
Artcurial. Photography on November 14th: $1,187,679
6 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale:
Beaussant Lefevre. Books and Autographs on November 7th: 201.01%
PIASA. Autographs, Letters and Manuscripts on November 7th: 111.04%
Christies. Highlights from the Erotic Library of Tony Fekete on November 18th: 109.95%
Skinner. Fine Books and Manuscripts on November 16th: 105.74%
Artcurial. Limited Editions on November 10th: 102.38%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on November 12th: 100.40%
15 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 11/9 on November 16th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 11/9 on November 16th: 94.62%
Beaussant Lefevre. Books and Autographs on November 7th: 94.02%
Poulin Antiques Auctions. Rare Books on November 18th: 91.24%
Paige Auction. Prints, Ephemera on November 18th: 90.36%
Swann Galleries. Autographs on November 20th: 89.03%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on November 12th: 88.22%
Northeast Auctions. Fall Afternoon Auction - Prints on November 17th: 87.50%
Swann Galleries. 19th and 20th Century Literature on November 18th: 84.27%
Artcurial. Limited Editions on November 10th: 84.15%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on November 17th: 84.00%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on November 12th: 83.01%
Christies. Highlights from the Erotic Library of Tony Fekete on November 18th: 81.90%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 11/6 on November 13th: 81.84%
Cowans Auctions. American History: Live Salesroom Auction on November 21st: 81.06%
36 total sales reported this week:
Cowans Auctions. American History: Live Salesroom Auction on November 21st: 81.06%
Northeast Auctions. Fall Afternoon Auction - Prints on November 17th: 87.50%
ALDE. Antiquarian Books and Nineteenth Century on November 19th: 64.16%
Paige Auction. Prints, Ephemera on November 18th: 90.36%
PBA Galleries. Fine Books and manuscripts from the Collection of the Late Cecil M. Wahle on November 20th: 63.91%
Swann Galleries. Autographs on November 20th: 89.03%
Swann Galleries. 19th and 20th Century Literature on November 18th: 84.27%
Tajan. Photographs on November 14th: 21.68%
Poulin Antiques Auctions. Rare Books on November 18th: 91.24%
Christies. Valuable Manuscripts and Printed Books on November 19th: 54.02%
Christies. Highlights from the Erotic Library of Tony Fekete on November 18th: 81.90%
Skinner. Fine Books and Manuscripts on November 16th: 78.94%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on November 17th: 84.00%
Christies. 20/21 Photographs on November 14th: 75.44%
Christies. Photographs on November 14th: 76.12%
Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on November 20th: 42.58%
Sothebys. Man Ray on November 15th: 64.94%
Sothebys. Photographs on November 14th: 57.65%
Aguttes. Prints, Photographs on March 31st: 60.00%
Aguttes. Books on November 13th: 63.04%
RR Auction. Rare Manuscript, Document & Autograph - Internet bidstart 10/24 on November 12th: 67.75%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Photographs and Photobooks on November 21st: 47.32%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Important Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper on November 13th: 58.50%
Kestenbaum and Company. Books, Manuscripts, Ceremonial Objects and Works of Art on November 13th: 22.36%
Ader. Judaica on November 13th: 54.42%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 11/6 on November 13th: 81.84%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Historical Aviation, Maritime, and Transport Memorabilia - Day 2 on November 14th: 66.67%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Historical Aviation, Maritime, and Transport Memorabilia on November 13th: 72.04%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on November 12th: 83.01%
Beaussant Lefevre. Books and Autographs on November 7th: 94.02%
PIASA. Autographs, Letters and Manuscripts on November 7th: 62.00%
Artcurial. Photography on November 14th: 55.86%
Artcurial. Limited Editions on November 10th: 84.15%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on November 12th: 88.22%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 11/9 on November 16th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 11/9 on November 16th: 94.62%
For the week ahead 29 sales are scheduled:
Mon. Nov. 24th
Doyle New York. New York. New York City Bar Association. 324 lots
Doyle New York. New York. Rare Books, Autographs & Maps. 294 lots
Australian Book Auctions. Armadale, . Rare Books. 394 lots
Skinner. Boston. Modern Japanese Prints - Internet bidstart 11/17. 158 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Old Master Prints. 8 lots
Bonhams. New York. There' No Place Like Hollywood. 376 lots
Tue. Nov. 25th
Bonhams. Oxford . Printed Books, Maps and Photographs. 325 lots
Bubb Kuyper. 2011 KM Haarlem. Books, Manuscripts, Prints. 6242 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. Printed & Manuscript Americana. 384 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Books and Manuscripts. 191 lots
Christies. London -South Kensington. Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts. 204 lots
Doyle New York. New York. Photographs. 155 lots
Adams Amsterdam Auctions. Amsterdam. Art on Paper. 156 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Modern and Contemporary Prints. 46 lots
Kedem Auction. Jerusalem . Rare and Important Items. 112 lots
Wed. Nov. 26th
Ader. PARIS. Photobooks - Collection of Jean Claude Eidelman. 349 lots
ALDE. Paris. An Architectural Enthusiast's Library. 119 lots
Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions. Turin. Posters - Internet bidstart 11/12. 409 lots
Thu. Nov. 27th
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Prints. 874 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 11/20.
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Cape Town. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 11/20. 488 lots
Morton Casa de Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Auction Records, Antiquarian and Contemporary Prints and Books. 358 lots
Fri. Nov. 28th
Neret Minet and Tessier. Paris. Books - Manuscripts - Photos.
Sat. Nov. 29th
Jeschke van vliet Buch und Kunstauktionen GmbH. Berlin-Schoneberg. Rare Books, Prints, Photography.
Alain and Evelyne Morel de Westgaver. 1050 Bruxelles. Books and Manuscripts. 551 lots
Carlsen Gallery. Greenville, NY. Thanksgiving Weekend Sale - Prints. 10 lots
OSENAT. FONTAINEBLEAU. The Spirit of the 20th Century.
Sun. Nov. 30th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 11/23.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 11/23.
For some the holidays are relaxing. For institutions, collectors and dealers this is when the attention is on the best material, the opportunities and tension are greatest.
Bruce McKinney
AE