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Auction Update Review

Fonsie Mealy Auction Dec 15,
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Forty-one Auctions Archived, 28 upcoming this week

For the week ended Saturday 12 December 41 auctions were archived to the RBH database; 1 in Swiss francs, 12 in euros, 10 in English pounds and 18 in US dollars. Turnover was a breathtaking $37,790,208. Across all the sales 10,829 lots were offered and 7,807 sold for a 72% rate. There have recently been ramblings of concern for the market. These results should dispel some of these concerns. 

9 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 4th: $14,900,129 

Christies. Old Master Prints on December 9th: $3,596,748 
Christies. SELECTIONS FROM THE DAVIDSON COLLECTION: IMPORTANT ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE AND HISTORICAL AM on December 8th: $2,880,064 
Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on December 7th: $2,514,284 
Christies. THE CHARLES E. SIGETY COLLECTION OF FINE PRINTED BOOKS AND AMERICANA, PART II on December 7th: $1,823,074 
Christies. Books and Manuscripts on December 8th: $1,380,316 
Swann Galleries. Maps and Atlases, Natural History and Color Plate Books on December 8th: $1,272,810 
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including the Collection of Harry E. Gould, Jr. on December 9th: $1,246,389 
Koller Auctions. Prints, Multiples and Photography on December 5th: $1,084,290 

7 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale: 

Henri Godts Books and Prints Auctions. Books, Maps, Prints on December 8th: 149.89% 
Freemans. American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists on December 6th: 147.33% 
Christies. Old Master Prints on December 9th: 137.42% 
Christies. THE CHARLES E. SIGETY COLLECTION OF FINE PRINTED BOOKS AND AMERICANA, PART II on December 7th: 128.12% 
Koller Auctions. Prints, Multiples and Photography on December 5th: 116.54% 
Artcurial. Prints and Illustrated Books on December 9th: 112.32% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 4th: 106.44% 


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

Freemans. American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists on December 6th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 6th: 99.34% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 6th: 98.34% 
Potter and Potter Auctions. Winter Magic Auction on December 5th: 94.00% 
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Prints, Books, Photographs on December 5th: 90.65% 
Christies. THE CHARLES E. SIGETY COLLECTION OF FINE PRINTED BOOKS AND AMERICANA, PART II on December 7th: 88.75% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 4th: 85.26% 
Koller Auctions. Prints, Multiples and Photography on December 5th: 83.61% 
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 82.86% 
Christies. Old Master Prints on December 9th: 80.26% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Carl Marxen Estate - Prints on December 6th: 80.00% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 8th: 80.00% 


41 total sales reported this week: 

Alexander Historical Auctions. Winter Auction on December 10th: 72.83% 
Bloomsbury Auctions. Autographs, Memorabilia and Vintage Posters on December 11th: 56.05% 
Adams Amsterdam Auctions. Art From Three Centuries on December 7th: 77.87% 
PIASA. PIERRE NÉTANGE COLLECTION , BOOKS on December 10th: 58.59% 
PIASA. Manuscripts and Books on December 10th: 31.11% 
PIASA. 20th Century Prints on December 10th: 58.33% 
Artcurial. Prints and Illustrated Books on December 9th: 73.86% 
Artcurial. Collectibles - Posters on December 7th: 55.56% 
Aguttes. Contemporary Art and Photography on December 7th: 25.00% 
Christies. Prints and Multiples on December 10th: 66.82% 
Christies. Old Master Prints on December 9th: 80.26% 
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 82.86% 
Bloomsbury Auctions. Books and Works on Paper on December 10th: 66.48% 
Bloomsbury Auctions. Western Manuscripts on December 9th: 56.00% 
Bonhams. The December Sale - Automobilia on December 10th: 35.71% 
Bonhams. Entertainment Memorabilia on December 10th: 61.67% 
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on December 9th: 58.87% 
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including the Collection of Harry E. Gould, Jr. on December 9th: 64.41% 
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Prints, Books, Photographs on December 5th: 90.65% 
Potter and Potter Auctions. Winter Magic Auction on December 5th: 94.00% 
Koller Auctions. Prints, Multiples and Photography on December 5th: 83.61% 
Henri Godts Books and Prints Auctions. Books, Maps, Prints on December 8th: 79.85% 
Jeschke van vliet Buch und Kunstauktionen GmbH. Old and Modern Art, Modern Photography, Antiques on December 4th: 28.84% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 8th: 80.00% 
Swann Galleries. Maps and Atlases, Natural History and Color Plate Books on December 8th: 77.44% 
Christies. SELECTIONS FROM THE DAVIDSON COLLECTION: IMPORTANT ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE AND HISTORICAL AM on December 8th: 48.45% 
Christies. Books and Manuscripts on December 8th: 50.00% 
Christies. THE CHARLES E. SIGETY COLLECTION OF FINE PRINTED BOOKS AND AMERICANA, PART II on December 7th: 88.75% 
Sothebys. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts on December 8th: 51.32% 
Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on December 7th: 45.38% 
Rago Arts and Auctions. Great Estates Auction - Books and Prints on December 5th: 62.96% 
Charlton Hall. Winter International Auction on December 5th: 65.63% 
Auctionata. Born in the USA: Modern & Contemporary Art - Prints on December 4th: 32.00% 
Auctionata. British Modern & Contemporary Art – with Damien Hirst Collection - Prints on December 5th: 33.77% 
Eldreds. Asian Arts at Auction - Books, Prints on December 4th: 65.38% 
Freemans. American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists on December 6th: 100.00% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Carl Marxen Estate - Prints on December 6th: 80.00% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Important Historical Prints on December 5th: 66.07% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 6th: 98.34% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 6th: 99.34% 
Sothebys. Books and Manuscripts on December 4th: 85.26% 

The Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Christies Autograph draft manuscript of Federalist Number Four on December 8th Actual price: USD $1,445,000.
  2. Sothebys OPTICKS: OR, A TREATISE OF THE REFLEXIONS, REFRACTIONS, INFLEXIONS AND COLOURS OF LIGHT. ALSO TWO TREATISES OF THE SPECIES AND MAGNITUDE OF CURVILINEAR FIGURES on December 4th Actual price: USD $1,330,000.
  3. Christies Samson rending the Lion on December 9th Actual price: USD $656,095.
  4. Sothebys THE EXCELLENT HISTORY OF THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. WITH THE EXTREME CRUELTY OF SHYLOCKE THE JEW TOWARDS THE SAIDE MERCHANT, IN CUTTING A JUST POUND OF HIS FLESH. AND THE OBTAINING OF PORTIA, BY THE CHOYSE OF THREE CASKETS on December 4th Actual price: USD $550,000.
  5. Christies The Rhinoceros on December 9th Actual price: USD $474,895.
  6. Sothebys MR. VVILLIAM SHAKESPEARES COMEDIES, HISTORIES, AND TRAGEDIES. PUBLISHED ACCORDING TO THE TRUE ORIGINALL COPIES. THE SECOND IMPRESSION on December 4th Actual price: USD $430,000.
  7. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE FINAL CHORUS OF THE ESTERHÍZY CANTATA "QUAL DUBBIO ORMAI" [HOB.XXIVA:4] on December 7th Actual price: USD $403,500.
  8. Sothebys FINE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF THE FIRST MOVEMENT OF THE "SONATINE", ORIGINALLY COMPOSED AS A SELF-CONTAINED PIECE on December 7th Actual price: USD $367,500.
  9. Swann Galleries The North American Atlas. on December 8th Actual price: USD $341,000.
  10. Sothebys AUTHORITATIVE SCRIBAL COLLECTION OF POEMS KNOWN AS THE "GOWER MANUSCRIPT" on December 4th Actual price: USD $322,000.
  11. Christies The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, as Agreed Upon by the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787. on December 8th Actual price: USD $317,000.
  12. Sothebys TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT: IN THE FORMER, THE FALSE PRINCIPLES AND FOUNDATION OF SIR ROBERT FILMER, AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE DETECTED AND OVERTHROWN. THE LATTER IS AN ESSAY CONCERNING THE TRUE ORIGINAL, EXTENT, AND END OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT on December 4th Actual price: USD $274,000.
  13. Sothebys Julius Firmicus Maternus, Matheseos libri VIII, in Latin on December 8th Actual price: USD $259,500.
  14. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH WORKING DRAFT OF PART OF THE PIANO TRIO OP.90 ("DUMKY"), SIGNED AND INSCRIBED ("TO HIS DEAR FRIEND MR POLLNER [?], AS A KEEPSAKE FROM ANT. DVOŘÍK 18 26/11 90", AND ANNOTATED BY HIM "...PRVNI SKIZZA DUMEK" "...FIRST SKETCH OF THE DUMKY": TRANSLA on December 7th Actual price: USD $250,500.
  15. Sothebys COMPENDIUM IN GENEALOGIA CHRISTI, IN LATIN, ILLUSTRATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM on December 4th Actual price: USD $250,000.
  16. Sothebys THE WORKES OF BENIAMIN JONSON on December 4th Actual price: USD $250,000.
  17. Sothebys THE COMPLEAT ANGLER OR THE CONTEMPLATIVE MAN'S RECREATION. BEING A DISCOURSE OF FISH AND FISHING, NOT UNWORTHY THE PERUSAL OF MOST ANGLERS on December 4th Actual price: USD $206,250.
  18. Christies Autograph letter signed (“G:o Washington'') to Robert Dinwiddie (1693-1770), Belvoir, 7 March 1754. on December 8th Actual price: USD $197,000.
  19. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT AND TYPESCRIPT OF JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK.  on December 4th Actual price: USD $187,500.
  20. Sothebys A BOOK OF VERSES SERIA MIXTA JOCIS on December 4th Actual price: USD $187,500.
  21. Sothebys THE TWOO BOOKES OF FRANCIS BACON. OF THE PROFICIENCE AND ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING, DIVINE AND HUMANE on December 4th Actual price: USD $175,000.
  22. Bonhams Autograph Manuscript Signed ("A. Einstein") on final page, 10 pp, 4to, n.p., [1929], being the near final draft of "Die Kompatibilitat der Feldgleichungen in der Einheitlichen Feldtheorie" (The Compatibility of the Field Equations in the Unified Field The on December 9th Actual price: USD $173,000.
  23. Sothebys MANUSCRIPT MEMOIR on December 4th Actual price: USD $162,500.
  24. Sothebys THE FAMOUS TRAGEDY OF THE RICH JEW OF MALTA. AS IT WAS PLAYD BEFORE THE KING AND QUEENE, IN HIS MAJESTIES THEATRE AT WHITE-HALL, BY HER MAJESTIES SERVANTS AT THE COCK-PIT on December 4th Actual price: USD $162,500.
  25. Sothebys VOLPONE OR THE FOXE on December 4th Actual price: USD $162,500.


For the week ahead 28 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Dec. 14th
ALDE. Paris. Binders, Original, Modern, Illustrated. 262 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Animation Art. 1347 lots
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. The Golden Age of Travel - Internet bidstart 12/3. 88 lots
Sothebys. New York. Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana. 108 lots
Holabird Kagin Americana. Reno. Western Americana Live Auction - session 2. 609 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Old Master Prints. 6 lots

Tue. Dec. 15th
Sothebys. London. English Literature, History, Children's Books & Illustrations. 211 lots
Stockholms Auktionsverk. Stockholm. Rare Books, Maps and Manuscripts. 265 lots
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Chicago. Fine Prints. 199 lots
Pierre Berge and Associes. Paris. Edition. 206 lots
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers. Kilkenny. Rare Books. 769 lots
Christies. Paris. Maurice Burrus (1882-1959): The Library of a Man of Taste. 229 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. African American Fine Art - Prints. 150 lots
Holabird Kagin Americana. Reno. Americana - Online Only. 761 lots
Christies. London - King Street. MRS THATCHER - PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BARONESS THATCHER OF KESTEVE. 34 lots

Wed. Dec. 16th
Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions. Milan. Rare Books and Autographs. 789 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Printed Books, Maps and Documents: Science, Medicine and Cookery. 580 lots
ALDE. Paris. Letters and Handwritten Autographs. 366 lots

Thu. Dec. 17th
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Children's and Illustrated Books. 426 lots
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Rare Americana with Manuscript Material. 500 lots
Sothebys. Paris. Books and Manuscripts. 132 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/10. 393 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. The Bibliophile Sale: Books and Works on Paper. 425 lots

Fri. Dec. 18th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Entertainment. 138 lots

Sat. Dec. 19th
OSENAT. FONTAINEBLEAU. The Spirit of the 20th Century. 15 lots

Sun. Dec. 20th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/13.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/13.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. The William E. Fredeman Victoriana Collection Rare Books Internet Auction. 98 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.
  • 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.
  • 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