• 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, um 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, um 1750. Est: € 28,000
    Ketterer, Nov. 23: J. Gris and P. Reverdy, Au soleil du plafond, 1955. Est: € 3,000
  • 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
PreviousNext

Auction Update Review

21 Sales Archived, 29 Auctions Upcoming

For the week ended Saturday 30 May 21 auctions were archived to the RBH database; 10 denominated in euros, 5 denominated in British pounds, and 6 denominated in US dollars.  Sales totaled $27,437,492 as 5,408 lots were offered and 3,893 sold for a 72% success rare.

5 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:

Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on May 28th: $18,386,744 
Sothebys. Photographs on May 23rd: $2,618,564 
Artcurial. the Universe of the Creator of TinTin on May 23rd: $1,779,550 
Artcurial. Comic Strips on May 23rd: $1,450,114 
Christies. The Joel Spitz collection of English colour-plate books on May 27th: $1,050,359

The Arader Galleries Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Sothebys TCHAIKOVSKY, PYOTR AUTOGRAPH WORKING MANUSCRIPT OF THE ORCHESTRAL SUITE NO.2 OP.53 on May 28th Actual price: USD $503,370.
  2. Artcurial HERGÉ (Georges REMI dit) 1907-1983 L'ÉTOILE MYSTÉRIEUSE on May 23rd Actual price: USD $316,885.
  3. Sothebys MOZART, WOLFGANG AMADEUS FINE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF MOZART’S TRANSCRIPTION OF THE “STABAT MATER” BY MARCHESE EUGENIO LIGNIVILLE, [K.ANH.238 (ANH. on May 28th Actual price: USD $255,510.
  4. Artcurial HERGÉ (Georges REMI dit) 1907-1983 LA TEMPÊTE on May 23rd Actual price: USD $247,997. ARader Auction Galleries
  5. Artcurial HERGÉ (Georges REMI dit) 1907-1983 TINTIN AU CONGO on May 23rd Actual price: USD $206,664.
  6. Artcurial SPIROU ET FANTASIO LE VOYAGEUR DU MÉSOZOIQUE on May 23rd Actual price: USD $206,664.
  7. Sothebys UNTITLED (FGM78), 1923-25 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $196,250.
  8. Sothebys 'LOLIONDO LION CHARGE', 1964 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $176,625.
  9. Sothebys BOOK OF HOURS. USE OF ROME on May 28th Actual price: USD $172,125.
  10. Sothebys MANN, THOMAS IMPORTANT SERIES OF C. 90 EARLY AUTOGRAPH LETTERS AND POSTCARDS, TO OTTO GRAUTOFF, ABOUT BUDDENBROOKS, INCLUDING ELEVEN UNPUBLISHED ITEMS, WITH POEMS AND TRANSCRIPTIONS on May 28th Actual price: USD $153,000.
  11. Sothebys THEOCRITUS AND DIOSCORIDES A VOLUME OWNED BY FLETCHER OF SALTOUN, on May 28th Actual price: USD $118,575.
  12. Sothebys 'CHANEL FEATHER HEADDRESS (B), NEW YORK', 1994 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $107,938.
  13. Artcurial GASTON LAGAFFE on May 23rd Actual price: USD $103,332.
  14. Sothebys WAGNER, RICHARD AUTOGRAPH SKETCH-LEAF CONTAINING DRAFTS AND IDEAS FOR “SIEGFRIED” AND “SIEGFRIEDS TOD”, THE FIRST VERSION OF “GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG”, on May 28th Actual price: USD $99,450.
  15. Sothebys BOULEZ, PIERRE AUTOGRAPH WORKING MANUSCRIPT OF 'CONDUITE' FROM LE VISAGE NUPTIAL, FOR VOICES AND LARGE ORCHESTRA with the title at the head of the first page ("I. on May 28th Actual price: USD $99,450.
  16. Sothebys 'LEE MILLER', C. 1930 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $98,125.
  17. Sothebys 'BABOONS, IMPALAS AND ELEPHANTS UNDER KILIMANJARO', 1984 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $88,313.
  18. Sothebys PLATO OMNIA PLATONIS OPERA. on May 28th Actual price: USD $86,063.
  19. Artcurial DES RAILS SUR LA MOQUETTE on May 23rd Actual price: USD $82,666.
  20. Sothebys 'NUDES FE 16', 2000 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $78,500.
  21. Sothebys BOULEZ, PIERRE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF 'STRUCTURE 1A', THE OPENING MOVEMENT OF STRUCTURES, PREMIER LIVRE, FOR TWO PIANOS on May 28th Actual price: USD $76,500.
  22. Sothebys STUDIES OF INDUSTRIAL FORMS, C. 1965-70 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $74,575.
  23. Sothebys SHADOW PROFILE, NEW YORK, 1944 on May 23rd Actual price: USD $74,575.
  24. Sothebys STRAVINSKY, IGOR FINE AUTOGRAPH MANUSCRIPT OF BERCEUSES DU CHAT AND PRIBAOUTKI, [VOCAL SCORE], SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY THE COMPOSER TO PRINCESS EUGÈNE (VIOLETTE) MURAT on May 28th Actual price: USD $72,675.
  25. Sothebys HERODOTUS HISTORIAE [TRANSLATED BY LAURENTIUS VALLA, EDITED BY BENEDICTUS BROGNOLUS]. on May 28th Actual price: USD $72,675.


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

Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on May 28th: 402.93%
ALDE. First Editions of the 19th and 20th Century on May 22nd: 116.07%

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

Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 5/17 on May 24th: 98.17%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 5/17 on May 24th: 96.95%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/21 on May 28th: 94.83%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on May 22nd: 94.78%
Woolley and Wallis. Asian Art II - Prints on May 21st: 91.67%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/14 on May 21st: 82.95%

21 total sales reported this week:

Artcurial. the Universe of the Creator of TinTin on May 23rd: 58.06%
PBA Galleries. Rare Books and Manuscripts on May 28th: 50.17%
ALDE. First Editions of the 19th and 20th Century on May 23rd: 14.01%
ALDE. First Editions of the 19th and 20th Century on May 22nd: 73.08%
Sothebys. Music, Continental and Russian Books and Manuscripts on May 28th: 64.44%
Christies. THE JOEL SPITZ COLLECTION OF ENGLISH COLOUR-PLATE BOOKS on May 27th: 75.38%
Artcurial. Comic Strips on May 23rd: 63.81%
Woolley and Wallis. Asian Art II - Prints on May 21st: 91.67%
PIASA. Russian and Soviet Photographs on May 21st: 28.57%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on May 26th: 76.71%
Adams Amsterdam Auctions. Art of the XXth Century on May 26th: 66.67%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/21 on May 28th: 94.83%
Auctionata. Photography, Prints and Editions on May 21st: 33.33%
Auctionata. Graphic Art and Photography on May 21st: 26.49%
Sothebys. Photographs on May 23rd: 55.40%
Tajan. Books on May 20th: 50.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 5/17 on May 24th: 96.95%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 5/17 on May 24th: 98.17%
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/14 on May 21st: 82.95%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on May 22nd: 94.78%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. MOTORING LITERATURE, AUTOMOBILIA EARLY CYCLING, RAILWAYANA CLOCKS AND SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS on May 15th: 73.67%


For the week ahead 29 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Jun. 1st
Aguttes. Neuilly-sur-Seine . Contemporary Photographs. 60 lots
Dorotheum . Vienna. Autographs. 320 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Doodle for Hunger Illustration Art Auction Benefiting St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelter - online. 54 lots
Australian Book Auctions. Armadale, . THE COLLECTION OF JOHN LANE MULLINS. 276 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 63 lots

Tue. Jun. 2nd
Audap and Mirabaud. PARIS. Prints. 350 lots

Wed. Jun. 3rd
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Photograph Sale. 417 lots
Artcurial. Paris. Prints and Illustrated Books. 205 lots
Beaussant Lefevre. Paris. Old and Modern Books, Autographs and Photographs. 113 lots
Minerva Auctions Roma. Roma. Photographs. 201 lots
Alaska Auction. Anchorage. Prints. 42 lots
Bonhams. London. Prints and Multiples. 252 lots
Florence Number Nine. Florence. Fine Chinese Works of Art - Prints. 12 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Special Sale Keiko Minami. 87 lots
Kedem Auction. Jerusalem . Jewish and Israeli History and Culture. 612 lots
PIASA. Paris. Photographs and Prints. 9 lots

Thu. Jun. 4th
Sothebys. London. Library on an English Bibliophile, Part IV. 182 lots
Minerva Auctions Roma. Roma. Books, Autographs and Prints. 739 lots
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Cape Town. Books - Internet Bidstart 5/28. 359 lots
Christies. London -South Kensington. Posters. 200 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Photo Opportunities. 231 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 5/28. 247 lots

Fri. Jun. 5th
Rago Arts and Auctions. Lambertville. Modern Design - Prints. 11 lots
Rossini. Paris. Prints, Globes. 4 lots

Sat. Jun. 6th
Auctionata. New York. Post War and Contemporary Art - Prints. 123 lots
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Hudson. Spot On! Modern and Contemporary Art - Photos and Prints. 69 lots

Sun. Jun. 7th
Skinner. Boston. Fine Books and Manuscripts.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 5/31.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 5/31.

Bruce McKinney

RBH and AE

  • 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.