• Heritage, Nov. 18: Orson Welles. Signed Third Revised Final Draft for Citizen Kane (RKO, 1941). July 16, 1940.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Bob Dylan. Autograph manuscript working lyrics to "Man on the Street."
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Ernest Hemingway. Death in the Afternoon. Inscribed by the author to the daughter of the Spanish Ambassador.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: Jack London. The Call of the Wild. Inscribed by the author.
    Heritage, Nov. 18: John Steinbeck. East of Eden. Inscribed by 27 members of the movie cast and crew, including James Dean and Elia Kazan.
  • Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
    Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
    Sotheby’s
    Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
    The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
    November 18, 2026
  • Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: The ‘Saxe-Meiningen Psalter’, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, [northern France or adjacent southern Netherlands, second half of the thirteenth century]. £30,000 - £50,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Crescenzi (Bartolomeo). Nautica mediterranea, 2 parts in 1, second edition, with rare engraved folding map, Rome, Bartolomeo Bonfadino, 1607. £15,000 - £20,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Aristotle. [The Works], 10 vol.,, translated by Thomas Taylor, Printed for the Translator... by Robert Wilks, 1807-12. £6,000-8,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Turing (Alan).- Alan Turing's Slide Rule, engraved initials "A.M.T. Noli Hoc Furari", alongside other ephemera, housed in early 20th-century letter box, [mid.1920s-40s]. £6,000-8,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Vitruvius Pollio (Marcus). I Dieci Libri dell'Architettura, translated by Daniele Barbaro, Venice, Francesco Marcolini, 1556. £7,000-10,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first edition, hardback issue, first printing, Bloomsbury, 1997. £50,000-70,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Tolkien (J.R.R.) The Lord of the Rings, later impressions, each vol. signed by the author, London, George Allen & Unwin, 1957-58. £15,000-20,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Gould (John). The Birds of Great Britain, 5 vol., first edition, [1862]-73; plus a presentation copy of Gould's Introduction to the Birds of Great Britain (6). £35,000-45,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Galilei (Galileo). Istoria e Dimostrazioni intorno alle Macchie Solari e loro accidenti, comprese in tre lettere scritte all’illustrissimo signor Marco Velseri Linceo, first edition, Rome, 1613. £15,000-20,000
    Forum
    Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
    Thursday 19th November
    Forum, Nov. 19: Gersdorff (Hans von). Feldtbuch der Wund-Arzney, enlarged edition, Strassburg, Hans Schotten, 1540. £20,000-30,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Kitchin (Thomas). A New Universal Atlas, first edition with maps in full original hand-colouring, Printed and Published by Robert Laurie and James Whittle, 1796. £8,000-12,000
    Forum, Nov. 19: Cassas (Louis François). Voyage Pittoresque de la Syrie, de la Phenicie, de la Palestine, et de la Basse Egypte, 2 vol., first edition, [Paris], 1799. £10,000-15,000
  • Heritage, Dec. 9: Philip K. Dick. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? First edition, author Brian Aldiss’ copy.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Robert A. Heinlein. Assignment in Eternity. First edition, inscribed by Heinlein to author “Doc” Smith.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Frank Herbert. Dune. First edition, inscribed by Herbert to his literary agent.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: J. R. R. Tolkien. The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. First edition, first impression, in an unrestored dust jacket.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Jules Verne. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Exceedingly rare, perhaps unique variant, English sheets bound in an American Osgood binding.
    Heritage, Dec. 9: Isaac Asimov. The Naked Sun. First edition, inscribed by Asimov to Alex Berman, founder of Phantasia Press.
PreviousNext

Auction Update Review

The summer candle burns low


For the week ending Saturday August 23rd 10 sales were archived to the AED: 2 in euros, 1 in British pounds, and 7 in US dollars.  Turnover was $1,963,001 as 7,956 lots were offered and 4,782 sold for a 60% success rate.  It was a seasonably quiet week that masked the sturm and drang that awaits us in September.  It will be an active fall season.

<--- August 28th.  Morton Casa de Subastas.  Subasta de Grabados, Litografias, Fotografias, Documentos Impresos y Manuscriptos, Mapas, Libros Antiguos y Contemporaneos.  An interesting sale!  The image is a live link to the full catalogue. 

4 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered:

Eldreds. Asian Art - Books and Prints on August 16th: 259.96%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on August 19th: 112.28%
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Prints on August 15th: 107.73%
Rupert Toovey and Co. Prints on August 13th: 101.57%

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

Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Prints on August 15th: 100.00%
Eldreds. Asian Art - Books and Prints on August 16th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics -Internet bidstart 8/10 on August 17th: 99.71%
Heritage Auctions. Lomasney Vintage Movie Art Posters Benefiting Lifebeat Monthly Internet Charity Auction on August 21st: 98.78%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 8/10 on August 17th: 97.08%
Rupert Toovey and Co. Prints on August 13th: 91.30%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on August 19th: 84.85%

10 total sales reported this week:

Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 8/14 on August 21st: 78.02%
Heritage Auctions. Lomasney Vintage Movie Art Posters Benefiting Lifebeat Monthly Internet Charity Auction on August 21st: 98.78%
Bruun Rasmussen. Modern and Contemporary Prints on August 19th: 84.85%
Rupert Toovey and Co. Prints on August 13th: 91.30%
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Prints on August 15th: 100.00%
Eldreds. Asian Art - Books and Prints on August 16th: 100.00%
RR Auction. Rare Manuscript, Document & Autograph - bidstart 7/25 on August 13th: 65.79%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 8/10 on August 17th: 97.08%
Heritage Auctions. Comics -Internet bidstart 8/10 on August 17th: 99.71%
Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen. Books and Prints on June 28th: 43.18%

For the week ahead 14 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Aug. 25th
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. World at War - Ephemera - Internet bidstart 8/14. 33 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Old Master Prints. 7 lots

Tue. Aug. 26th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Modern and Contemporary Prints. 50 lots

Wed. Aug. 27th
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Cape Town. Antiquarian Books - Internet bidstart 8/21. 513 lots
Morton Casa de Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Documents, Prints and Books. 258 lots

Thu. Aug. 28th
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Summer Book Sale. 364 lots
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Books in All Fields. 613 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 8/21. 428 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Scientific Instruments: Globes, Books, Prints. 9 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Lomasney Vintage Movie Art Posters Benefiting Lifebeat Monthly Internet Charity Auction. 80 lots

Fri. Aug. 29th
Skinner. Marlborough. Discovery - Online Auction - Prints Bidstart 8/21.
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Summer Book Sale, Day Two. 317 lots

Sun. Aug. 31st
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics -Internet bidstart 8/24.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 8/24.

Heading into Labor Day the weather is mostly languid, the pace slow.  But this will quickly change as 400 to 500 auctions are queued, catalogued, photographed and promoted into what will be the busiest fall season in the history of the books, manuscripts,maps and ephemera fields.

 

Bruce McKinney

AE 

  • Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 41. Rare First State of the First Printed Map Devoted to the Arctic (1595) Est. $14,000 - $17,000
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 63. The Largest of the Strada "Leo Belgicus" Editions (1632) Est. $3,250 - $4,000
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 71. Blaeu's Stunning Carte-a-Figures Map of the Americas (1640) Est. $4,000 - $4,750
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 8. Mariette's Rare and Decorative Map of the World Based on the Work of Hondius (1642) Est. $4,750 - $6,000
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 172. 1775 Edition of the Landmark Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia and Maryland (1775) Est. $12,000 - $15,000
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 46. Doppelmayr's Fine Celestial Chart (1742) Est. $800 - $950
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 212. First Edition Ski Country Map by Pioneer Hal Shelton (1965) Est. $500 - $700
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 732. Ruscelli's Complete Atlas with 69 Maps and Updated Maps of the Continents (1599) Est. $8,000 - $9,500
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 329. Ortelius' Map of Iceland Surrounded by Sea Monsters (1585) Est. $11,000 - $13,000
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 600. Heinrich Bunting's Rare Map of Asia in the Form of a Pegasus (1581) Est. $3,000 - $3,750
    Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 716. Bible Leaf with Hand-Colored Image of the Adoration of the Magi (1490) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
  • Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: L. Feininger, Collection of autograph letters to Alois J. Schardt, 1920-1955. Est: € 150,000-250,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Flemish book of hours, Ghent-Bruges School around 1480-1500. Est: € 40,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: F. de Wit, Atlas maior, around 1700. Est: € 50,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: A. Stieglitz, Camera Work, 48 volumes, 1903-1914. Est: € 60,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Merian & M. Zeiller, Sämtliche Topographien, 21 volumes, 1642-1736. Est: € 50,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: R. Indiana and R. Creely, Numbers, 1968. Est: € 4,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Salerno Breviarium, Latin manuscript on vellum, North Italy around 1470-1476. Est: € 40,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. S. Merian, Surinaamsche (&) europische Insecten, 1730. Est: € 30,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Beckmann, Jahrmarkt, Portfolio of 10 signed etchings, 1922. Est: € 25,000
    Ketterer Rare Books
    Auction November 23
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: Justinianus, Infortiatum, 1475. Est: € 10,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: B. Besler, Hortus Eystettensis, around 1750. Est: € 28,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: J. Gris and P. Reverdy, Au soleil du plafond, 1955. Est: € 3,000