Auction Update Review

The landmark du Verne family
hunting library will be sold
at Sotheby's Paris on Oct.
5.

Swann's will be selling
early printed, medical,
scientific & travel books on
Oct. 18.

30 Auctions Archived, 22 Sales Upcoming

It was another busy week in the rooms. For the week ending the 1st of October, 30 sales were archived, generating $16,210,429 in sales. Fifteen were denominated in euros, 9 in U.S. dollars, 4 in British pounds, and 2 in Swiss francs. There were 7,144 lots offered, with 5,130 being sold. That was good for a sell-through rate of 72%. The average sales price was a healthy $3,160, with the big dollars going primarily for prints.

 


2 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars:

Sothebys. Prints and Multiples on September 27th: $5,584,150
Christies. Thiebaud from Thiebaud: Prints and Works on Paper from the Private Studio of Wayne Thiebaud on September 29th: $4,466,750

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

Sothebys. Robert de Balkany, Rue de Varenne, Paris – Day sale on September 29th: 380.25%
Artcurial. More on September 28th: 165.35%
Ferraton. Books and Prints on September 17th: 162.41%
Auctionata. Old Master Prints on September 27th: 142.73%
Christies. Thiebaud from Thiebaud: Prints and Works on Paper from the Private Studio of Wayne Thiebaud on September 29th: 134.14%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples on September 27th: 117.11%
Sothebys. Made in Britain - Prints on September 28th: 108.27%
Neal Auction Company. Books and Prints on September 24th: 106.30%


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

Christies. Thiebaud from Thiebaud: Prints and Works on Paper from the Private Studio of Wayne Thiebaud on September 29th: 100.00%
Sothebys. Robert de Balkany, Rue de Varenne, Paris – Day sale on September 29th: 100.00%
National Book Auctions. Easton, Egypt, Antique Leather, etc. on September 24th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 9/18 on September 25th: 98.70%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 9/18 on September 25th: 97.76%
Artcurial. More on September 28th: 90.12%
Sothebys. Made in Britain - Prints on September 28th: 84.00%
Ferraton. Books and Prints on September 17th: 83.44%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples on September 27th: 83.33%
Forum Auctions. Fine Books and Works on Paper on September 22nd: 80.53%

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Sothebys TWO HUMAN BEINGS. THE LONELY ONES (W. 157; SCH. 133) on September 27th Actual price: USD $2,034,500.
  2. Christies City and Streets signed '? Thiebaud' (upper left) on September 29th Actual price: USD $583,500.
  3. Christies Levees and Dikes (Green River Turn) on September 29th Actual price: USD $487,500.
  4. Christies Untitled (Cupcake) on September 29th Actual price: USD $463,500.
  5. Christies Lemon Meringue Pie Slices signed and dated '? Thiebaud 1990 2013' (upper center); dated again '1990' (on the reverse) on September 29th Actual price: USD $211,500.
  6. Christies Untitled (Sunglasses) on September 29th Actual price: USD $199,500.
  7. Christies A La Recherche du Shoe Perdu on September 27th Actual price: USD $199,500.
  8. Sothebys PROMENADE VOR DEM CAFÉ (KAISER-CAFÉ BERLIN) (GERCKEN 670; DUBE 244) on September 27th Actual price: USD $178,100.
  9. Sothebys ZWEI FRAUEN (G. 681; D. 259) on September 27th Actual price: USD $178,100.
  10. Christies Coastline (Drawing for California Arts Plate) on September 29th Actual price: USD $168,750.
  11. Sothebys SHADOWS II (F. & S. II.210-215) on September 27th Actual price: USD $162,500.
  12. Christies Big Suckers, from Seven Still Lifes and a Rabbit on September 29th Actual price: USD $156,250.
  13. Sothebys MARILYN MONROE (F. & S. II.31) on September 27th Actual price: USD $154,375.
  14. Sothebys DREI AKTE IM WALDE (D. 637) on September 27th Actual price: USD $113,750.
  15. Christies Cake Slices signed '? Thiebaud' (upper center) on September 29th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  16. Christies Untitled (Pie Slice) on September 29th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  17. Christies Large Sucker, from Seven Still Lifes and a Rabbit on September 29th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  18. Christies Delights on September 29th Actual price: USD $93,750.
  19. Christies Eight Lipsticks on September 29th Actual price: USD $87,500.
  20. Christies Untitled (Four Striped Ties) on September 29th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  21. Sothebys PORTRAIT STYLISÉ DE JACQUELINE (B. 1065; BA. 1285) on September 27th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  22. Sothebys SELF-PORTRAIT (WOLL 37; SCHIEFLER 31) on September 27th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  23. Christies Tie Rows on September 29th Actual price: USD $75,000.
  24. Sothebys KATE MOSS on September 28th Actual price: USD $73,125.
  25. RR Auction Dave Scott’s Apollo 17 Flown Robbins Medal on September 26th Actual price: USD $68,750.


30 total sales reported this week:

Bloomsbury Auctions. 20th Century Books and Works on Paper on September 29th: 68.81%
Swann Galleries. Illustration Art on September 29th: 67.00%
Auctionata. Post War and Contemporary Art - Prints on September 29th: 18.18%
Auctionata. Editions on September 29th: 23.14%
Christies. Thiebaud from Thiebaud: Prints and Works on Paper from the Private Studio of Wayne Thiebaud on September 29th: 100.00%
Dorotheum . Prints Before 1900 on September 29th: 66.22%
Sothebys. Robert de Balkany, Rue de Varenne, Paris – Day sale on September 29th: 100.00%
Sothebys. Made in Britain - Prints on September 28th: 84.00%
Artcurial. More on September 28th: 90.12%
Auctionata. Modern Classics - Prints on September 28th: 0.00%
Dorotheum . Globes on September 28th: 37.50%
Ader. Photo - Books on September 23rd: 52.48%
Auctionata. Old Master Prints on September 27th: 75.00%
Christies. First Open | Home - Books, Photos, Prints on September 27th: 54.00%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples on September 27th: 83.33%
Rossini. Prints, 19th and 20th Century on September 26th: 57.58%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on September 27th: 11.69%
RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Internet pre-bidding 9/15-9/25 on September 26th: 54.37%
Forum Auctions. Fine Books and Works on Paper on September 22nd: 80.53%
National Book Auctions. Easton, Egypt, Antique Leather, etc. on September 24th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 9/18 on September 25th: 98.70%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 9/18 on September 25th: 97.76%
Neal Auction Company. Books and Prints on September 24th: 75.00%
Venator and Hanstein. Modern and contemporary Prints and Drawings · Modern Books on September 24th: 50.34%
Venator and Hanstein. Books · Prints and Drawings · Autographs on September 23rd: 36.67%
Koller Auctions. Old Master Prints on September 23rd: 71.21%
Koller Auctions. Old Master Prints on September 23rd: 44.29%
Eldreds. Antiques and Accessories - Books and Prints on September 23rd: 54.55%
Skinner. Fine Prints, Fine Photographs on September 23rd: 79.27%
Ferraton. Books and Prints on September 17th: 83.44%


For the week ahead 22 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Oct. 3rd
Neret Minet and Tessier. Paris. Photographs. 426 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 93 lots

Tue. Oct. 4th
Tooveys. West Sussex. Antiquarian and Collectors Books. 292 lots
Christies. New York. Photographs: The Evening Sale. 26 lots
Christies. London - King Street. Leslie Waddington Collection - Prints. 3 lots
Bearnes Hampton and Littlewood. Exeter. Prints. 30 lots

Wed. Oct. 5th
Tooveys. West Sussex. Prints and Maps. 176 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Printed Books, Maps and Documents. 485 lots
Sothebys. Paris. Bibliothèque cynégétique du Verne : Vénerie, fauconnerie, chasses. 271 lots
Christies. New York. Photographs. 156 lots
Dallas Auction Gallery. Dallas. The Fine Art Auction - Prints. 32 lots
Purcell Auctioneers. Birr. Antiques and Collectables -Books and Prints. 42 lots
Robert Siegel Galleries. New York. Peter Sharrer Collection of Postal Markings. 107 lots

Thu. Oct. 6th
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Literature. 453 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Photographs. 155 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. African-American Fine Art - Prints. 173 lots

Fri. Oct. 7th
Marc van de Wiele Auctions. Brugge. Antiquarian Books. 1178 lots
Sothebys. London. Photographs. 175 lots
OSENAT. FONTAINEBLEAU. The Empire at Fontainebleau. 37 lots

Sat. Oct. 8th
Michaans Auctions. Alameda, CA . October Estate Sale - Prints and Books. 27 lots

Sun. Oct. 9th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 10/2.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 10/2.

Mike Stillman

RBH and 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, 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
  • 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