• 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.
  • 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
PreviousNext

Auction Update Review

Best Wishes for the New Year

For the week ended Saturday January 3rd, and after taking two weeks off, 21 auctions were this week archived to the AED; 5 denominated in euros, 2 in British pounds, and 14 in US dollars.  Turnover was $6,599,043 as 9,116 lots were offered and 6,971 sold for a 76% success rate. 

1 auction saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:

Profiles in History. Historical Auction on December 16th: $1,030,788

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

Robert Siegel Galleries. U.S., Possessions, and Confederate Postal History on December 19th: 141.08%


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

Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/14 on December 21st: 99.86%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/21 on December 28th: 99.76%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/14 on December 21st: 95.96%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/21 on December 28th: 94.51%
Robert Siegel Galleries. U.S., Possessions, and Confederate Postal History on December 19th: 93.32%
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. Rare and Used Books on December 12th: 89.02%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/18 on December 25th: 85.71%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/25 on January 1st: 84.79%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on December 17th: 80.56%
Pierre Berge and Associes. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: 80.00%


21 total sales reported this week:

Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/25 on January 1st: 84.79%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/21 on December 28th: 99.76%
Pierre Berge and Associes. Books and Manuscripts on December 17th: 80.00%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Children's and Illustrated Books on December 18th: 75.47%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on December 17th: 80.56%
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society. Rare and Used Books on December 12th: 89.02%
Profiles in History. Animation - Day 1 on December 18th: 55.35%
Profiles in History. Animation - Day 2 on December 19th: 36.38%
Profiles in History. A Celebration of Music on December 17th: 61.82%
Profiles in History. Historical Auction on December 16th: 41.83%
Minerva Auctions Roma. Photography on December 11th: 25.95%
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers. Rare Books, Manuscripts, Literature, & Maps on December 9th: 74.08%
Robert Siegel Galleries. U.S., Possessions, and Confederate Postal History on December 19th: 93.32%
RR Auction. Rare Manuscript, Document & Autograph - bidstart 11/21 on December 10th: 66.88%
ALDE. Letters and Original Manuscripts on December 17th: 63.51%
ALDE. Henry Beraud Library on December 9th: 43.95%
Grogan and Company. The December Auction - Prints on December 14th: 66.67%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/21 on December 28th: 94.51%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/18 on December 25th: 85.71%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/14 on December 21st: 95.96%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/14 on December 21st: 99.86%

For the week ahead 6 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Jan. 5th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Old Master Prints. 9 lots

Tue. Jan. 6th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Modern and Contemporary Prints. 56 lots

Wed. Jan. 7th
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Interiors: Day 1 - Prints. 11 lots

Thu. Jan. 8th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 1/1. 326 lots

Sun. Jan. 11th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 1/4.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 1/4.

2014 had a breathless feel.  2015 should be more of the same.

 

Best wishes for the New Year.

 

Bruce McKinney

AE

 

  • 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