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Auction Update Review

Swann Galleries: Vintage
Posters on August 5th.
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23 Auctions Archived, 15 upcoming this week

For the week ended Saturday July 18th 23 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Transaction Database, 6 denominated in euros, 7 in British pounds, and 10 in US dollars.  Turnover was $16,991,451 as 6,527 lots were offered and 4,942 sold for a 76% success rate.


4 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Christies. Valuable Books and Manuscripts, including Cartography on July 15th: $9,191,520 
Christies. First Impressions on July 15th: $2,321,446 
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on July 14th: $2,247,088 
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on July 14th: $1,092,556

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

Auctionata. Brusberg Galleries: Prints - Part 2 on July 10th: 128.27%
Bloomsbury Philobiblon. Incunabula and Printed Books on June 23rd: 109.59%
Christies. Valuable Books and Manuscripts, including Cartography on July 15th: 103.51%
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on July 14th: 100.16%  

The Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Christies THE ‘GOSPELS OF QUEEN THEUTBERGA’ in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $3,098,940.
  2. Christies NOBEL PRIZE MEDAL. Nobel Peace Prize Medal awarded in 1909 to Auguste Beernaert (1829-1912) for his work at the Permanent Court of Arbritration. With: the accompanying diploma signed by the five representatives of the Norwegian Nobel Prize committee, on July 15th Actual price: USD $659,100.
  3. Christies Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica. Edited by Edmond Halley (1656-1743). on July 15th Actual price: USD $434,460.
  4. Sothebys KREBS, NOBEL PRIZE MEDAL AWARDED TO HANS KREBS, WITH HIS NOBEL PRIZE DIPLOMA, 1953 (2 ITEMS) on July 14th Actual price: USD $426,250.
  5. Christies MAGNA CARTA AND STATUTES, LAW TRACTS, AND REGISTER OF WRITS, in Latin and Anglo-Norman French, DECORATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $265,980.
  6. Christies Egypt, Sinai, and Jerusalem: A Series of Twenty Photographic Views. Text by Sophia Poole and Reginald Stuart Poole. on July 15th Actual price: USD $237,900.
  7. Sothebys SERVICE ENIGMA MACHINE (ENIGMA I), THREE ROTOR, HEIMSOETH & RINKE, 1943 (1 ITEM) on July 14th Actual price: USD $230,950.
  8. Christies SILVER-GILT MOUNTED ARAB JAMBIYA DAGGER. Ornately-tooled hilt and scabbard, curved blade. 30cm long. on July 15th Actual price: USD $191,100.
  9. Sothebys DARWIN, THE DESCENT OF MAN, 1871, INSCRIBED TO HENRIETTA DARWIN (2 VOL.) on July 14th Actual price: USD $174,375.
  10. Christies Opera, an extensive composite set in contemporary editions. on July 15th Actual price: USD $172,380.
  11. Christies BOOK OF HOURS, use of Metz, in Latin and French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, on July 15th Actual price: USD $163,020.
  12. Christies On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. on July 15th Actual price: USD $144,300.
  13. Christies PLUTARCH, Life of Camillus, in the Latin translation of OGNIBENE DA LONIGO for GIANFRANCESCO GONZAGA (c.1395-1444) on July 15th Actual price: USD $125,580.
  14. Christies THE LAMB IN THE MIDST OF THE ELDERS, and THE OPENING OF THE BOOK, two miniatures on either side of a cutting from the Burckhardt-Wildt Apocalypse, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $125,580.
  15. Christies De humani corporis fabrica librorum epitome. on July 15th Actual price: USD $116,220.
  16. Christies Harmonia Macrocosmica seu atlas universalis et novus. on July 15th Actual price: USD $106,860.
  17. Christies A Treatise of Human Nature: being an Attempt to introduce the Experimental Method of Reasoning into Moral Subjects. Of the Understanding on July 15th Actual price: USD $97,500.
  18. Christies BOOK OF HOURS, use of Langres, in Latin and French, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $97,500.
  19. Christies THE PROPHET NAHUM and A MAN PLAYING AN ORGAN, two historiated initials on a leaf of a Bible in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $97,500.
  20. Christies La heroike interprinse faict par le Signeur Draeck d’avoir cirquit toute la terre. on July 15th Actual price: USD $93,600.
  21. Sothebys BIBLE, [THE NEWE TESTAMENT YET ONCE AGAYNE CORRECTED BY WYLLIAM TYNDALL...], 1536, UNRECORDED VARIANT (1 VOL.) on July 14th Actual price: USD $93,000.
  22. Bloomsbury Philobiblon Libro per conservare la sanità del corpo [trad. volgare di Zucchero Bencivenni] on June 22nd Actual price: USD $87,854.
  23. Christies De ludo scachorum. on July 15th Actual price: USD $87,750.
  24. Christies A complete set of original gelatin silver prints for his erotic series 1929. on July 15th Actual price: USD $78,000.
  25. Christies THE RESURRECTION, large historiated initial on a leaf from an ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on July 15th Actual price: USD $78,000.


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

Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 7/5 on July 12th: 100.00%
National Book Auctions. Books on July 12th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 7/5 on July 12th: 99.14%
Auctionata. Brusberg Galleries: Prints - Part 2 on July 10th: 93.55%
Cowans Auctions. Prints and Works on Paper on July 10th: 90.09%
Tooveys. Prints on July 15th: 88.89%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 7/9 on July 16th: 88.80%
Christies. First Impressions on July 15th: 83.07%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Bibliophile on July 16th: 82.53%


23 total sales reported this week:

Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 7/9 on July 16th: 88.80%
Neret Minet and Tessier. Posters on June 24th: 50.14%
Neret Minet and Tessier. From 1900-1980, 500 Posters at Low Prices on June 22nd: 24.56%
Bloomsbury Philobiblon. Incunabula and Printed Books on June 23rd: 63.89%
Bloomsbury Philobiblon. Gastronomy Books and Manuscripts on June 22nd: 56.97%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Bibliophile on July 16th: 82.53%
Tooveys. Prints on July 15th: 88.89%
Doyle New York. Doyle at Home: Decorative Prints on July 16th: 76.92%
Lyon and Turnbull. Golf Memorabilia - Books on July 15th: 22.22%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Prints on July 16th: 69.53%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents; Early Printed Books and Incunabula on July 15th: 78.15%
Christies. Valuable Books and Manuscripts, including Cartography on July 15th: 73.63%
PBA Galleries. Illustrated and Children's Books - Fine Books in All Fields on July 9th: 56.06%
Christies. First Impressions on July 15th: 83.07%
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on July 14th: 76.72%
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations on July 14th: 76.14%
Kedem Auction. Books, Objects, Manuscripts, Rabbinic Letters on July 7th: 73.53%
Michaans Auctions. Estate Sale - Books and Prints on July 11th: 58.14%
Auctionata. Brusberg Galleries: Prints - Part 2 on July 10th: 93.55%
National Book Auctions. Books on July 12th: 100.00%
Cowans Auctions. Prints and Works on Paper on July 10th: 90.09%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 7/5 on July 12th: 99.14%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 7/5 on July 12th: 100.00%

For the week ahead 15 auctions are scheduled:

Mon. Jul. 20th
Bonhams. Los Angeles. TCM Presents ... Picture Perfect - The Art of Movie Posters. 234 lots

Wed. Jul. 22nd
Sothebys. New York. Modern Life: Post War Photographs, Prints and Design. 173 lots
Auctionata. Berlin. Prints and Photographs. 174 lots

Thu. Jul. 23rd
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Americana with California and the West. 583 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 7/16. 273 lots
RR Auction. Amherst. Marvels of Modern Music - Internet bidstart 7/16. 484 lots

Fri. Jul. 24th
Copley Fine Art Auctions. Boston. The Sporting Sale. 66 lots

Sat. Jul. 25th
Addison and Sarova. Macon. The Library of Robert Easton. 264 lots
Clars Auction Gallery. Oakland. Printed Art.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Vintage Movie Posters. 951 lots
Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers. Gahanna. Online Numismatic Book Sale. 364 lots
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Hudson. Books, Photographs, Prints. 234 lots

Sun. Jul. 26th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 7/19.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 7/19.
Clars Auction Gallery. Oakland. Prints. 58 lots

Bruce McKinney

RBH and AE

  • Doyle, May 1: Thomas Jefferson expresses fears of "a war of extermination" in Saint-Dominigue. $40,000 to $60,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An exceptional presentation copy of Fitzgerald's last book, in the first issue dust jacket. $25,000 to $35,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The rare first signed edition of Dorian Gray. $15,000 to $25,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The Prayer Book of Jehan Bernachier. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Doyle, May 1: Van Dyck's Icones Principum Virorum Doctorum. $10,000 to $15,000.
    Doyle, May 1: The magnificent Cranach Hamlet in the deluxe binding by Dõrfner. $7,000 to $10,000.
    Doyle, May 1: A remarkable unpublished manuscript of a voyage to South America in 1759-1764. $3,000 to $5,000.
    Doyle, May 1: Bouchette's monumental and rare wall map of Lower Canada. $12,000 to $18,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An rare original 1837 abolitionist woodblock. $8,000 to $12,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An important manuscript breviary in Middle Dutch. $15,000 to $25,000.
    Doyle, May 1: An extraordinary Old Testament manuscript, circa 1250. $20,000 to $30,000.
  • Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: McCarthy (Cormac). Cities of the Plain, N.Y., 1998, First Edn., signed on hf. title; together with Uncorrected Proof and Uncorrected Advance Reading Copies, both signed by the Author. €800 to €1,000.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Stanihurst (Richard). De Rebus in Hibernia Gestis, Libri Quattuor, sm. 4to Antwerp (Christi. Plantium) 1584. First Edn. €525 to €750.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Fleischer (Nat.) Jack Dempsey The Idol of Fistiana, An Intimate Narrative, N.Y., 1929, First Edn. Signed on f.e.p. by Rocky Marciano. €400 to €600.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Smith - Classical Atlas, Lond., 1820. Bound with, Smiths New General Atlas .. Principal Empires, Kingdoms, & States throughout the World, Lond. 1822. €350 to €500.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Rare Auction Catalogues – 1856: Bindon Blood, of Ennis, Co. Clare: Sotheby & Wilkinson. €320 to €450.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: [Mavor (Wm.)] A General Collection of Voyages and Travels from the Discovery of America to the Commencement of the Nineteenth Century, 28 vols. (complete) Lond., 1810. €300 to €400.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Mc Carthy (Cormac). Outer Dark, N.Y. (Random House)1968, Signed by Mc Carthy. €250 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Three signed works by Ted Huges - Wodwo, 1967; Crow from the Life and Songs of the Crow, 1970; and Tales from Ovid, 1997. €200 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: The Garden. An Illustrated Weekly Journal of Horticulture in all its Branches, 7 vols. lg. 4to Lond. 1877-1880. With 127 colored plates. €200 to €300.
    Fonsie Mealy’s
    Rare Book & Collectors Sale
    24th April 2024
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: Procter (Richard A.) Saturn and its System: Containing Discussions of The Motion (Real and Apparent)…, Lond. 1865. First Edn. €160 to €220.
    Fonsie Mealy, Apr. 24: [Ashe] St. George, Lord Bishop of Clogher, A Sermon Preached to the Protestants of Ireland, now in London,... Oct. 23, 1712, London 1712. Second Edn. €130 to €180.
  • Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Winston Churchill. The Second World War. Set of First-Edition Volumes. 6,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: A.A. Milne, Ernest H. Shepard. A Collection of The Pooh Books. Set of First-Editions. 18,600 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Salvador Dalí, Lewis Carroll. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Finely Bound and Signed Limited Edition. 15,000 USD
    Sotheby’s
    Modern First Editions
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ian Fleming. Live and Let Die. First Edition. 9,500 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter Series. Finely Bound First Printing Set of Complete Series. 5,650 USD
    Sotheby’s, Available Now: Ernest Hemingway. A Farewell to Arms. First Edition, First Printing. 4,200 USD
  • Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Piccolomini's De La Sfera del Mondo (The Sphere of the World), 1540.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Vellutello's Commentary on Petrarch, With Map, 1525.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Finely Bound Definitive, Illustrated Edition of I Promessi Sposi, 1840.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Rare First Edition of John Milton's Latin Correspondence, 1674.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Giolito's Edition of Boccaccio's The Decamerone, with Bedford Binding, 1542.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of the First Biography of Marie of the Incarnation, with Rare Portrait, 1677.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Aldine Edition of Volume One of Cicero's Orationes, 1540.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Bonanni's Illustrated Costume Catalogue, with Complete Plates, 1711.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: An Important Incunable, the First Italian Edition of Josephus's De Bello Judaico, 1480.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: First Edition of Jacques Philippe d'Orville's Illustrated Book of the Ruins of Sicily, 1764.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: An Incunable from 1487, The Contemplative Life, with Early Manuscript.
    Leland Little, Apr. 26: Ignatius of Loyola's Exercitia Spiritualia, 1563.
  • Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 546. Christoph Jacob Trew. Plantae selectae, 1750-1773.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 70. Thomas Murner. Die Narren beschwerung. 1558.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 621. Michael Bernhard Valentini. Museum Museorum, 1714.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 545. Sander Reichenbachia. Orchids illustrated and described, 1888-1894.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1018. Marinetti, Boccioni, Pratella Futurism - Comprehensive collection of 35 Futurist manifestos, some of them exceptionally rare. 1909-1933.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 634. August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof. 3 Original Drawings, around 1740.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 671. Jacob / Picasso. Chronique des Temps, 1956.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1260. Mary Webb. Sarn. 1948. Lucie Weill Art Deco Binding.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 508. Felix Bonfils. 108 large-format photographs of Syria and Palestine.
    Jeschke Jadi
    Auction 151
    Saturday, April 27, 2024
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 967. Dante Aligheri and Salvador Dali. Divina Commedia, 1963.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1316. Tolouse-Lautrec. Dessinateur. Duhayon binding, 1948.
    Jeschke Jádi, Apr. 27: Lot 1303. Regards sur Paris. Braque, Picasso, Masson, 1962.