Rare Book Monthly

Articles - August - 2012 Issue

Perspective on August

PBA. Aug. 16.  Lot 15.  Autographs of the American 1929 Ryder Cup team.  Est:  $1000-1500

PBA. Aug. 16. Lot 15. Autographs of the American 1929 Ryder Cup team. Est: $1000-1500

August was once the quietest month in the auction business but a look at this year’s auction calendar tells us that scheduled events are increasing.  To this point we have 34 events posted, up from 26 in 2011 and 12 in 2010.  There are many contributing factors for the increase but it probably most comes down to busier schedules.

The following are our statistics for August for the past eight years.  The first chart shows the number of auctions and lots by year – 2005 to the present.  The second shows that August is not a fluke.  The total of all auctions for the January-May period has also seen a substantial increase.









Auctions in August 2005 to the Present

Year    # of Sales        # of Lots

2005               6                      2,529

2006               14                   3,898

2007               12                   3,767

2008               21                   3,746

2009               20                   5,663

2010               12                   3,824

2011               26                   5,213

2012               34


The second set of data shows that August is not a fluke.  The total of all auctions for the January-May period has also seen a substantial increase.

Total Auctions Covered during the January – May period 2005 to the present

2005                                       121

2006                                       186

2007                                       190

2008                                       206

2009                                       180

2010                                       182

2011                                       271

2012                                       354



This trend seems certain to continue.

Rare Book Monthly

  • SwannPrinted & Manuscript African AmericanaMarch 20, 2025 SwannPrinted & Manuscript African AmericanaMarch 20, 2025
    Swann
    Printed & Manuscript African Americana
    March 20, 2025
    Swann
    Printed & Manuscript African Americana
    March 20, 2025
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 7: Thomas Fisher, The Negro's Memorial or Abolitionist's Catechism, London, 1825. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 78: Victor H. Green, The Negro Travelers' Green Book, New York, 1958. $20,000 to $30,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 99: Rosa Parks, Hand-written recollection of her first meeting with Martin Luther King Jr., autograph manuscript, Detroit, c. 1990s. $30,000 to $40,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 154: Frederick Douglass, Autograph statement on voting rights, signed manuscript, 1866. $20,000 to $30,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 164: W.E.B. Du Bois, What the Negro Has Done for the United States and Texas, Washington, circa 1936. $3,000 to $4,000.
    Swann
    Printed & Manuscript African Americana
    March 20, 2025
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 263: Susan Paul, Memoir of James Jackson, Boston, 1835. $6,000 to $9,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 267: Langston Hughes, Gypsy Ballads, signed translation of García Lorca's poetry, Madrid, 1937. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 274: Malcolm X, Collection from Alex Haley's estate, 38 items, 1963-1971. $4,000 to $6,000.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 367: Solomon Northup, Twelve Years a Slave, Auburn, NY, 1853. $2,500 to $3,500.
    Swann, Mar. 20: Lot 402: Anna Julia Cooper, A Voice from the South, Xenia, OH, 1892. $2,000 to $3,000.
  • Koller, Mar. 26: Wit, Frederick de. Atlas. Amsterdam, de Wit, [1680]. CHF 20,000 to 30,000
    Koller, Mar. 26: Merian, Maria Sibylla. Der Raupen wunderbare Verwandelung, und sonderbare Blumennahrung. Nürnberg, 1679; Frankfurt a. M. und Leipzig, 1683. CHF 20,000 to 30,000
    Koller, Mar. 26: GOETHE, JOHANN WOLFGANG VON. Faust. Ein Fragment. Von Goethe. Ächte Ausgabe. Leipzig, G. J. Göschen, 1790. CHF 7,000 to 10,000
    Koller, Mar. 26: Hieronymus. [Das hochwirdig leben der außerwoelten freünde gotes der heiligen altuaeter]. Augsburg, Johann Schönsperger d. Ä., 9. Juni 1497. CHF 40,000 to 60,000.
    Koller, Mar. 26: BIBLIA GERMANICA - Neunte deutsche Bibel. Nürnberg, A. Koberger, 17. Feb. 1483. CHF 40,000 to 60,000
    Koller, Mar. 26: HORAE B.M.V. - Stundenbuch. Lateinische Handschrift auf Pergament, Kalendarium französisch. Nordfrankreich (Rouen?). CHF 25,000 to 40,000
  • GonnelliAuction 58Books, Autographs & ManuscriptsMarch 11th-13th 2025 GonnelliAuction 58Books, Autographs & ManuscriptsMarch 11th-13th 2025
    Gonnelli
    Auction 58
    Books, Autographs & Manuscripts
    March 11th-13th 2025
    Gonnelli
    Auction 58
    Books, Autographs & Manuscripts
    March 11th-13th 2025
    Gonnelli: Manuscript and illuminated book of hours, mid-15th century.
    Gonnelli: Sumptuous Koran manuscript by Bukhara illuminators in the mid-nineteenth century.
    Gonnelli: Rowling J. K., Harry Potter e la Pietra Filosofale. Firenze: Adriano Salani, 1998.
    Gonnelli: Fontana Lucio, Dix eaux-fortes. Milano: Galerie Schwarz, 1962.
    Gonnelli: Valli Antonio, Il canto de gl'augelli. In Roma, Nicolò Mutij, 1601.
    Gonnelli: Moniglia Giovanni Andrea, Il Mondo Festeggiante. In Firenze: nella Stamperia di S.A.S., 1661.
    Gonnelli: Alighieri Dante, [Divine Comedy with commentary and Life of Dante by Cristoforo Landino]. Danthe alegieri fiorentino. Venezia, Capcasa, 1493.
    Gonnelli: Foresti, Novissime historiarum. Venezia, Rusconi, 1506.
    Gonnelli: Hieronymus (santo), Vita di sancti Padri vulgariter historiada. Venezia, Otino da Pavia, 1501.
    Gonnelli: Ghisi Andrea, Laberinto dato novamente in luce. In Venetia: per Euangelista Deuchino, 1616.
    Gonnelli: Gouvea Antonio (de), Innocentia victrix. [China, Canton], 1671.
    Gonnelli: Napier John, Rabdologiae, seu numerationis per virgulas libri duo. Edinburgi: Andreas Hart, 1617.
    Gonnelli: Ortelius Abraham, Theatrum orbis terrarum. Antverpiae: Aegid. Coppenium Diesth, xx Maii 1570.
  • Sotheby'sSell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts Sotheby'sSell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: The Shem Tov Bible, 1312 | A Masterpiece from the Golden Age of Spain. Sold: 6,960,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Ten Commandments Tablet, 300-800 CE | One of humanity's earliest and most enduring moral codes. Sold: 5,040,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: William Blake | Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Sold: 4,320,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: The Declaration of Independence | The Holt printing, the only copy in private hands. Sold: 3,360,000 USD
    Sotheby's
    Sell Your Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Sotheby’s: Thomas Taylor | The original cover art for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Sold: 1,920,000 USD
    Sotheby’s: Machiavelli | Il Principe, a previously unrecorded copy of the book where modern political thought began. Sold: 576,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Leonardo da Vinci | Trattato della pittura, ca. 1639, a very fine pre-publication manuscript. Sold: 381,000 GBP
    Sotheby’s: Henri Matisse | Jazz, Paris 1947, the complete portfolio. Sold: 312,000 EUR

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