Auction Update Review
Rare Book Hub: 52 Auctions Archived, another 12 Upcoming this Week
For the week ended Friday 20 December 2019 52 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 24 denominated in euros, 2 in British pounds, and 26 in US dollars.
Turnover was $35,902,670 as 14,354 lots were offered and 10,164 sold for a 71% success rate. Whether bidders were more cautious, consignors more demanding, or the auction houses a trifle too optimistic, is unclear. The sell-through percentage, that has been trending up about 6% this fall, fell to 71%. This aside, the numbers were spectacular, Sotheby’s selling two multi-million dollar lots. As Reggie Jackson is remembered as Mr. October so too Sotheby’s should be recognized as Mr. December in collectible paper for their many home runs at the holidays year after year.
For the shortened week ahead, as buyers, consignors, dealers and auction houses settle back for well-deserved holiday respites, a mere 12 sales are scheduled. So at last, some blue sky. We too will pull back a bit. The pace has been a torrid and we’ll return in 2020, looking ahead to the many changes that are soon to come.
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts on December 18th: $11,089,875
Sothebys. The Birds of America from Original Drawings by John James Audubon on December 18th: $6,642,400
Sothebys. La Collection Ribes II on December 13th: $4,886,539
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on December 11th: $1,834,910
Binoche et Giquello. R. AND BL LIBRARY: AUTOGRAPHS AND MANUSCRIPTS XIXTH AND XXTH CENTURIES - WRITERS - MUSICIANS - PAINT on May 22nd: $1,378,199
8 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale:
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts on December 18th: 249.98%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. The McHugh Collection of HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT RAILROADIANA on December 14th: 155.51%
Sothebys. La Collection Ribes II on December 13th: 138.13%
Aspire Auctions. Fine Art - Prints - online bidstart 12/6 on December 14th: 125.16%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 9th: 121.91%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 10th: 107.63%
Swann Galleries. Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on December 17th: 107.23%
Binoche et Giquello. R. AND BL LIBRARY: AUTOGRAPHS AND MANUSCRIPTS XIXTH AND XXTH CENTURIES - WRITERS - MUSICIANS - PAINT on May 22nd: 104.45%
21 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 11/17 on December 15th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 100.00%
Sothebys. The Birds of America from Original Drawings by John James Audubon on December 18th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. U.S. Currency Weekly - Internet Bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 99.61%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/8 on December 15th: 98.94%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. The McHugh Collection of HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT RAILROADIANA on December 14th: 98.62%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/8 on December 15th: 97.90%
Potter and Potter Auctions. Winter Magic on December 14th: 95.24%
Sothebys. La Collection Ribes II on December 13th: 93.50%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 10th: 93.33%
Swann Galleries. Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on December 17th: 92.77%
Winner's Auctions Ltd. Gold Coins, Chabad, Amulets and Belongings of Tzaddikim, Kabala & Chassidic books, Manuscripts and L on December 9th: 92.11%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples - Prints - Online bidstart 12/6 on December 16th: 91.67%
Aspire Auctions. Fine Art - Prints - online bidstart 12/6 on December 14th: 89.47%
University Archives. Stellar Manuscripts, Rare Books, and Apollo Related Items on December 4th: 88.59%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 9th: 87.76%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books on December 10th: 87.32%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on December 14th: 86.00%
Robert Siegel Galleries. United States Postal History and Confederate States on December 18th: 85.32%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 10th: 84.52%
Old World Auctions. Maps and Atlases - Internet bidstart 10/30 on November 13th: 82.98%
52 total sales reported this week:
Adams Amsterdam Auctions. Fine Art; Modern and Contemporary Works of Art - Prints on December 3rd: 68.14%
Robert Siegel Galleries. United States Postal History and Confederate States on December 18th: 85.32%
Il Ponte. Photographs on December 12th: 50.00%
Mirabaud-Mercier Auctioneers. Old and Modern Books on December 17th: 45.45%
PIASA. Editions, featuring Sam Francis Gravures on December 11th: 55.22%
Pierre Berge and Associes. Ancient and Modern Books on December 13th: 66.00%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 17th: 75.90%
Robert Siegel Galleries. The Santiago Cruz Large Gold Medal Collection of Colombia SCADTA Air Post Issues on December 10th: 31.11%
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers. Rare Books, Literature, Collectibles, & Ephmera on December 10th: 66.94%
Winner's Auctions Ltd. Gold Coins, Chabad, Amulets and Belongings of Tzaddikim, Kabala & Chassidic books, Manuscripts and L on December 17th: 63.24%
Winner's Auctions Ltd. Seforim, Glosses & Signatures, Chabad, Eretz Yisrael and Zionism, Letters from Rabbis and Rebbes, Ho on September 19th: 53.64%
Winner's Auctions Ltd. Gold Coins, Chabad, Amulets and Belongings of Tzaddikim, Kabala & Chassidic books, Manuscripts and L on December 9th: 92.11%
Artcurial. Books and Manuscripts on December 10th: 30.86%
Aste Bolaffi. Christmas Sale - Live Internet on December 16th: 26.58%
Swann Galleries. Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books on December 17th: 92.77%
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts on December 18th: 68.14%
Sothebys. The Birds of America from Original Drawings by John James Audubon on December 18th: 100.00%
Sothebys. The History of Science and Technology on December 17th: 70.73%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples - Prints - Online bidstart 12/6 on December 16th: 91.67%
Doyle New York. Photographs on December 11th: 77.88%
Old World Auctions. Maps and Atlases - Internet bidstart 10/30 on November 13th: 82.98%
Sothebys. La Collection Ribes II on December 13th: 93.50%
Sothebys. The Art of Travel - Online bidstart 12/2 on December 12th: 50.00%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. U.S. Currency Weekly - Internet Bidstart 12/10 on December 17th: 99.61%
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on December 11th: 79.26%
Nye & Company Auctioneers. Estate Treasures - Fine Art Prints, Books on December 11th: 50.00%
Arenberg Auctions. Books and Prints on December 14th: 71.65%
Binoche et Giquello. Library of R. AND BL - Autographs, manuscripts and photographs of the twentieth century on October 7th: 0.45%
Binoche et Giquello. Library of Jean-Claude Carriere - Books on November 21st: 63.52%
Binoche et Giquello. R. AND BL LIBRARY: AUTOGRAPHS AND MANUSCRIPTS XIXTH AND XXTH CENTURIES - WRITERS - MUSICIANS - PAINT on May 22nd: 71.33%
Binoche et Giquello. Books and Manuscripts on December 11th: 39.45%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. The McHugh Collection of HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT RAILROADIANA on December 14th: 98.62%
Clars Auction Gallery. Books, Prints on December 15th: 70.13%
Clars Auction Gallery. Books, Prints on December 14th: 74.63%
Aspire Auctions. Fine Art - Prints - online bidstart 12/6 on December 14th: 89.47%
Charlton Hall. Holiday Sale on December 13th: 78.57%
University Archives. Stellar Manuscripts, Rare Books, and Apollo Related Items on December 4th: 88.59%
Potter and Potter Auctions. Winter Magic on December 14th: 95.24%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/8 on December 15th: 98.94%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/8 on December 15th: 97.90%
Aste Bolaffi. PostersRare Books and Autographs on December 11th: 68.76%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books on December 10th: 87.32%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 10th: 84.52%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 10th: 93.33%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 9th: 87.76%
Catawiki B. V.. Autographs and Manuscripts - Internet bidstart 11/29 on December 8th: 72.92%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on December 14th: 86.00%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 11/17 on December 15th: 100.00%
Zwiggelaar Auctions. Books and Prints - Session 3 on December 4th: 35.23%
Zwiggelaar Auctions. Books and Prints - Session 2 on December 3rd: 34.70%
Zwiggelaar Auctions. Books and Prints - Session 1 on December 2nd: 33.45%
For the week ahead 12 sales are scheduled:
Mon. Dec. 23rd
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 12/13. 67 lots
Tue. Dec. 24th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. U.S. Currency Weekly - Internet Bidstart 12/17. 455 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/17. 142 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 12/13. 25 lots
Thu. Dec. 26th
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 12/20. 50 lots
Fri. Dec. 27th
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Lee's Summit . Monstrous Two-Ring Antique Auction. 50 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 12/20. 170 lots
Sat. Dec. 28th
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper.
Sun. Dec. 29th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/22.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/22.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 12/1. 147 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Autographs and Manuscripts - Internet bidstart 12/20. 37 lots
Bruce McKinney
RBH and AE