Auction Update Review
A Strong Week in the Auction Rooms
For the week ending Saturday April 5th, 2014 37 auctions were archived to the AED; 2 is Swiss francs, 11 in euros, 4 in British pounds, and 20 in US dollars. Total sales were $37, 481,105 as 11,215 lots were offered and 8,316 lots sold for a 74% success rate.
<A contemporary account of the London Fire is available at Bonham's on April 7.
8 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:
Sothebys. The Inventive Eye: Photographs from a Private Collection on April 1st: $5,414,750
Christies. Photographs on April 3rd: $4,230,688
Sothebys. Photographs on April 2nd: $4,032,751
Sothebys. The John James Audubon Collection from the Indiana Historical Society on April 1st: $3,770,000
Christies. The Range of Light: Photographs by Ansel Adams on April 3rd: $2,144,875
Sothebys. Gordon Waldorf Collection on April 1st: $1,809,625
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books on April 2nd: $1,680,906
Koller Auctions. Print, Books and Photographs on March 29th: $1,375,164
<A first edition of the Book of Mormon is offered at Swann's on April 8.
7 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale:
OSENAT. Empire at Fontainebleau on March 23rd: 160.28%
Sothebys. Made in Britain on April 1st: 148.15%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on March 31st: 128.73%
Sothebys. The Inventive Eye: Photographs from a Private Collection on April 1st: 120.54%
Swann Galleries. Astronomy & Science Books from The Library of Martin C. Gutzwiller on April 3rd: 117.07%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on April 1st: 110.86%
Christies. The Range of Light: Photographs by Ansel Adams on April 3rd: 110.62%
14 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:
Christies. Interiors - Prints on April 2nd: 100.00%
Sothebys. The John James Audubon Collection from the Indiana Historical Society on April 1st: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 3/23 on March 30th: 99.20%
Heritage Auctions. Historical Manuscripts on April 3rd: 95.10%
Christies. Rare Maps from Kenneth Nebenzahl, Inc. on April 1st: 93.89%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet Bidstart 3/23 on March 30th: 92.17%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 3/27 on April 3rd: 90.60%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books on April 2nd: 90.10%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on April 1st: 90.00%
Sothebys. Made in Britain on April 1st: 89.66%
Christies. The Range of Light: Photographs by Ansel Adams on April 3rd: 88.00%
Sothebys. The Inventive Eye: Photographs from a Private Collection on April 1st: 87.10%
Swann Galleries. Astronomy & Science Books from The Library of Martin C. Gutzwiller on April 3rd: 86.96%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on March 31st: 83.33%
For the week ahead 33 sales are scheduled:
Mon. Apr. 7th
Bonhams. New York. Treasures from the Caren Archive. 305 lots
Neret Minet and Tessier. Paris. Marine. 95 lots
Tue. Apr. 8th
Swann Galleries. New York. Printed & Manuscript Americana. 320 lots
Bonhams. New York. Space History. 208 lots
Neret Minet and Tessier. Paris. Movie Posters. 345 lots
Wed. Apr. 9th
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Printed Books and Maps, Vintage Photographs. 477 lots
Kapandji Morhange. Paris. Books. 434 lots
Doyle New York. New York. Rare Books, Autographs and Photgraphs. 353 lots
Rossini. Paris. Prints and Photographs. 18 lots
Sothebys. London. Islamic World - Books, Manuscripts. 62 lots
Thu. Apr. 10th
Christies. London -South Kensington. Travel, Science and Natural History.
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Fine Illustrated Travel and Military History. 242 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Bibliophile. 390 lots
Freemans. Philadelphia. Rare Books and Manuscripts. 539 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Geography. 259 lots
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Books. 705 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 4/3. 501 lots
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. Americana - Prints, Ephemera. 21 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Rare Books. 367 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Incunabula. 271 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Photography. 131 lots
Fri. Apr. 11th
Freemans. Philadelphia. Books, Maps & Manuscripts. 227 lots
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. Lancaster. Rare and Used Books. 473 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Modern Literature. 217 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Literature of the 17th - 19th Century. 507 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Autographs. 373 lots
Sat. Apr. 12th
Clars Auction Gallery. Oakland. Prints and Photographs.
Jeschke van vliet Buch und Kunstauktionen GmbH. Berlin-Schoneberg. Rare Books, Prints and Photographs. 892 lots
Blacksparrow. Sun Valley. Hollywood's Leading Men and Women. 13 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Modern Literature and Prints. 958 lots
Jeschke van vliet Buch und Kunstauktionen GmbH. Berlin-Schoneberg. Photographs and Photobooks. 349 lots
Sun. Apr. 13th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet Bidstart 4/6.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics -Internet bidstart 4/6.
The ABAA/ILAB fair in New York has just concluded. The material on offer was fresh and interesting, the dealers upbeat and collectors and institutions determined. One hopes it was a success for all. Through the past week and into the coming interesting auctions have been the norm. Altogether, between dealer and auction sales, it looks to be a robust moment.
Bruce McKinney
AE