Note about this week’s issue of the Weekly Auction Update.  Effective today updates will be emailed to all registered AE members each week on Sunday evening.  This report provides perspective on sales archived over the past 7 days and sales upcoming over the next week.  On an average week 16 sales are archived and 18 sales scheduled and searchable for the next week.

For anyone not wishing to receive these updates an opt out provision is provided at the bottom of these mailings.

For the week ending Saturday February 23^rd 18 auctions were archived to the AED, 8 in US dollars, 3 in British pounds, and 7 in euros.  Five thousand one hundred and twenty-four lots were offered and 4,054 sold for an overall success rate of 79%.  Total sales in US dollars were $8,029,399.  It was a strong week.

The big number was $4,105,223, the total sales for Heritage’s Comics and Comic Art sale on February 21^st.  The next largest sale was Heritage’s Animation Art auction ended the same day.  It raised $920,709.  Attics, basements and garages are being scoured as we speak.  

Two sales’ total proceeds exceeded 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered:

Bonhams.  Books on February 19^th:  132%

Bonhams.  World War II:  The Pacific Theatre on February 22^nd:             103%

Eight sales saw 80% or more of their lots sell:

Heritage Auctions.  Animation Art on February 21^st:  98%

Heritage Auctions.  Comics and Comic Art on February 21^st:  96%

Bonhams.  Books on February 19^th:  93%

Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books online bidding ended February 21^st:  91%

Clars Auction Gallery.  Prints, Ephemera on February 16^th:  89%

Coutau-Begarie.  Comics on February 2^nd:  84%

Clars Auction Gallery.  Prints online bidding ended February 17^th:  82%

Here is a link to an interactive spreadsheet of this past week’s sales.  All headers re-sequence the data.
 

For the week ahead 17 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Feb. 25^th          Alde.  Ancient Books of the XIX Century, Political Economy [20983].  380 lots

                                    Bruun Rasmussen.  Prints [1309].  59 lots

                                    Hommage to Aldo Crommelynck:  From Picasso to George Condo [PF1334]

Tues. Feb. 26^th           Christies.  Prints [8337].  6 lots

                                    Cowan’s Auctions, Inc.  The World at War [346].  35 lots

                                    Swann galleries, Inc.  Fine Photographs and Photobooks [2304].  138 lots

Wed. Feb. 27^th           Autographes Encheres.  Autographs

                                    Bloomsbury Auctions.  Beatrix Potter:  The Mark Ottignon Collection [36015]

                                    Christies.  Prints [8179].  7 lots

Thurs. Feb. 28^th         Ader.  Performing Arts:  Collection of a Belgian Amateur [20826].  360 lots

                                    Bloomsbury Auctions.  Literature, Manuscripts and Modern First Books [36018].  386 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books Internet bidding ends today [201309].  247 lots

                                    PBA Galleries.  Golf Books [501].  227 lots

                                    Sothebys.  Fine Travel and Plate Books:  A Private Collection [L13410].  142 lots

                                    Swann Galleries.  Early Printed, Medical, Scientic and Travel Books [2305].  341 lots.

Fri. Mar. 1^st                 Heritage Auctions [HA.com].  Texana [6097].  204 lots

Sat. Mar. 2^nd               Dorotheum.  Gun Books [9932].  8 lots

Just as Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote and Mary Martin sang, “the hills are alive”, if not in the auction business with the sound of music, with at least the low rumble of the audience preparing to bid.  The winter is over.

Bruce McKinney

AE

24 February 2013