For the week ending Saturday May 24^th 38 auctions were archived to the AED, 16 in euros, 7 in British pounds, and 15 in US dollars.  Sales reached $35,042,918 as 11,270 lots were offered and 8,883 sold for a 79% success rate.  Such strong reporting weeks are rare but becoming increasingly common.  The auction market is moving with authority.

<--- Skinner.  Books & Manuscripts.  Sale 2730B in Boston on May 31^st.  Lot 147 - Franklin, Benjamin (1706-1790) Experiments and Observations on Electricity. London: for David Henry, sold by Francis Newbery, 1769.  Estimate $3,000-$5,000

4 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Sothebys. Contemporary Art - Prints on May 15th: $8,224,250
Heritage Auctions. Comics on May 17th: $4,887,141
Sothebys. Music and Continental Books and Manuscripts on May 20th: $3,919,789
Christies. Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts on May 21st: $3,111,375

<--- Keys Fine Arts.  Books Day 1.  Lot 818:  Thomas Telford, James Douglas, Ralph Dodd, George Dance and William Jessop.  The Several Plans and Drawings . . . upon the improvement of the Port of London, 1800.  Estimated BP 800-1,000

8 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale:

Beaussant Lefevre. Prints on May 16th: 761.07%
Profiles in History. DEBBIE REYNOLDS – THE AUCTION FINALE - Ephemera on May 17th: 241.62%
Bonhams. Scientific Instruments - Globes on May 20th: 187.96%
Ader. Modern and Contemporary Prints on May 16th: 157.92%
Ader. Ancient and Modern Prints on May 15th: 152.31%
Doyle New York. Prints on May 21st: 137.45%
Guillaumot Richard . Hunting Library of Mr. E. B Château de La Palisse in Allier on May 10th: 127.13%
Bruun Rasmussen. Old Master Prints on May 19th: 110.59%

13 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:

Beaussant Lefevre. Prints on May 16th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics -Internet bidstart 5/11 on May 18th: 99.88%
Heritage Auctions. Comics on May 17th: 99.86%
Profiles in History. DEBBIE REYNOLDS – THE AUCTION FINALE - Ephemera on May 17th: 98.70%
Doyle New York. Prints on May 21st: 96.88%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 5/11 on May 18th: 94.83%
Guillaumot Richard . Hunting Library of Mr. E. B Château de La Palisse in Allier on May 10th: 94.14%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints and Photographs on May 17th: 87.50%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/8 on May 15th: 85.51%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on May 20th: 81.94%
Bonhams. Period Art and Design - Prints on May 19th: 81.48%
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Fine and Decorative Arts - Prints on May 10th: 80.98%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. PRINTED BOOKS & MAPS, TRAVEL & POLAR EXPLORATION, NATURAL HISTORY & SCIENCE on May 14th: 80.40%

For the week ahead 14 sales are scheduled:

Mon. May. 26th
PIASA. Paris. Photography Books, etc. - Online bidstart 5/16. 110 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Old Master, Modern and Contemporary Prints. 39 lots

Wed. May. 28th
Alexander Autographs. Chesapeake City. Abstract and Outsider Art - Prints. 16 lots

Thu. May. 29th
Christies. London -South Kensington. Fine Printed Books and Manuscripts. 293 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Automobilia. 128 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . 15th-18th Century Prints. 831 lots
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Norwich. Books - Day 1. 808 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/22. 499 lots

Fri. May. 30th
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Norwich. Books - Day 2. 232 lots

Sat. May. 31st
Skinner. Boston. Fine Books and Manuscripts. 405 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Modern Art Part II - Prints. 435 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Modern Art Part I - Prints. 179 lots

Sun. Jun. 1st
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics -Internet bidstart 5/25.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 5/25.

With June looming this quiet week is a moment to rest.  June, at last count has 125 events scheduled.

Bruce McKinney

AE