Rare Book Monthly

Articles - September - 2025 Issue

Stockhols Auktionsverk Completes Acquisition of Uppsala Auktionskammare

Stockholms Auktionswerk: A merger

Stockholms Auktionswerk: A merger

Stockholms Auktionsverk recently confirmed  (18 August, 2025) the completion of its acquisition of Uppsala Auktionskammare – a historic merger between two of Sweden’s most prestigious players in the quality auction market. The transaction, was announced June 25, 2025, uniting the two auction houses under the brand Stockholms Auktionsverk. This transaction continues the worldwide trend to consolidate auction houses as such businesses become more complex and international. The cost and scale of the necessary investments are more easily born when their footprint broadens.

 

With this completed transaction, “Together, Stockholms Auktionsverk and Uppsala Auktionskammare form the country’s largest team of specialists in Fine Art, design, and antiques. With roots stretching back to the Baroque era, a combined 645 years of auction experience, expertise, and passion are now brought together under one roof.

 

“This is a milestone for our industry. With Uppsala Auktionskammare’s entrepreneurial drive, strong client relationships, and outstanding expertise in Fine Art, we sharpen our specialist capabilities. At the same time, we retain the benefits of our extensive digital scale and leverage the fact that we are the Swedish auction house with the widest network of regional branches. This creates value for both sellers and buyers in Sweden and internationally,” says Cecilia Gave, CEO of Stockholms Auktionsverk.”

 

Founded in 1674, the firm is the oldest auction house in the western world and has, for more than 350 years, been a central marketplace for Swedish and international cultural history. From its earliest days the Swedish monarchy was associated with the firm. Famed monarch King Charles XI auctioned war trophies in the 17th century with them. In the 18th century Swedish King Gustav III acquired Rembrandt’s painting, the Kitchen Maid in their auction rooms.

 

Along the way, Stockholms Auktionsverk itself was sold by auction in 1733. With the house, was included the exclusive right to sell at auction on Stockholm.

 

More recently, the firm’s art has been making headlines, the works of Anders Zorn, Marc Chagall, Bruno Liljefors, Owe Zerge, and Gunnar Asplund have been sold by them.

 

More recently, along with art, books and libraries, the firm has added lifestyle auctions. Auctions reflect society’s changing values.

 

With the largest branch network of any Swedish auction house, the company is a leading force in the Nordic quality auction market.

 

Among the 15,441,837 auction records in Rare Book Hub’s Transactions+ database, it includes 29 of their auctions dating from 2014.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) - Campi Phlegraei. Napoli: [Pietro Fabris], 1776, 1779. € 30.000 - 50.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: [MORTIER] - BLAEU, Joannes (1596-1673) - Het Nieuw Stede Boek van Italie. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1704-1705. € 15.000 - 25.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: TULLIO D'ALBISOLA (1899-1971) - Bruno MUNARI (1907-1998) - L'Anguria lirica (lungo poema passionale). Roma e Savona: Edizioni Futuriste di Poesia, senza data [ma 1933?]. € 20.000 - 30.000
    Il Ponte, Feb. 25-26: IL MANOSCRITTO RITROVATO DI IPPOLITA MARIA SFORZA. TITO LIVIO - Ab Urbe Condita. Prima Decade. Manoscritto miniato su pergamena, metà XV secolo. € 280.000 - 350.000
  • Sotheby's Fine Books & Manuscripts
    Available for Immediate Purchase
    Sotheby’s: Balthus, Emily Brontë. Wuthering Heights, New York: The Limited Editions Club, 1993. 6,600 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Charles Dickens. Complete Works, Philadelphia & London: J.B. Lippincott Company & Chapman & Hall, LD, 1850. Limited Edition set of 30 volumes. 7,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: John Lennon, Yoko Ono. Handwritten Letter from John Lennon and Yoko Ono to their Chauffer. 1971. 32,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Winston Churchill. First edition of War Speeches, Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1941. Set of 7 volumes. 5,500 USD.
    Sotheby’s: Andy Warhol, Julia Warhola. Holy Cats First Edition, Signed by Andy Warhol. 1954. 30,000 USD.
  • Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 40
    Ramasvami (Kavali Venkata). A Digest of the Different Castes of India, 83 charming hand-coloured lithographed plates, Madras, 1837. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 50
    Watson (John Forbes) & John William Kaye. The People of India: A Series of Photographic Illustrations...of the Races and Tribes of Hindustan, 8 vol., 480 mounted albumen prints, 1868-75. £4,000-6,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 53
    Afghanistan.- Elphinstone (Hon. Mountstuart). An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul, first edition, hand-coloured aquatint plates, a fine copy, 1815. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 57
    [Album and Treatise on Hinduism], manuscript treatise on Hinduism in French, 31 watercolours of Hindu deities, Pondicherry, 1865. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 62 Allan (Capt. Alexander). Views in the Mysore Country, [1794]. £2,000-3,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 76
    Bird (James). Historical Researches on the Origin and Principles of the Bauddha and Jaina Religions..., first edition, lithographed plates, Bombay, American Mission Press, 1847. £3,000-4,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 100
    Ceylon.- Daniell (Samuel). A Picturesque Illustration of the scenery, animals, and native inhabitants, of the Island of Ceylon: in twelve plates, 1808. £5,000-7,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 123
    D'Oyly (Charles). Behar Amateur Lithographic Scrap Book, lithographed throughout with title and 55 plates mounted on 43 paper leaves, [Patna], [1828]. £3,000-5,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 139
    Gandhi (known as Mahatma Gandhi,) Fine Autograph Letter signed to Jawaharlal Nehru, Sevagram, Wardha, 1942, emphasising the importance of education in rural communities. £10,000-15,000
    Forum Auctions
    Online: India
    Ends 19th February 2026
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 140
    Gantz (John). Indian Microcosm, first edition, Madras, John Gantz & Son, 1827. £10,000-15,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 146
    Grierson (Sir George Abraham). Linguistic Survey of India, 11 vol. in 20, folding maps, original cloth, Calcutta, Superintendent Government Printing, 1903-28. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 195
    Madras.- Fort St. George Gazette (The), No.276-331, pp.493-936 and Index to all of 1834 at end, modern half calf, Madras, 2nd July - 31st December 1834. £2,000-3,000
    Forum, Feb. 19: Lot 205
    Marshall (Sir John) and Alfred Foucher. The Monuments of Sanchi, 3 vol., first edition, 141 plates, most photogravure, [Calcutta], [1940]. £3,000-4,000

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