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Auction Update Review

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25 Auctions Archived, 35 Sales Upcoming

For the week ended Saturday, October 22nd, 25 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 9 denominated in euros, 5 in English pounds, and 11 in US dollars.  Turnover was $14,427,742 as 6,572 lots were offered and 5,027 sold for a 76% success rate.

 

4 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Sothebys. Arts of the Islamic World on October 19th: $3,892,715 
PIASA. Library of Tissot Dupont - Part 2 on October 19th: $1,826,696 
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on October 18th: $1,510,557 
Sothebys. The Library of an English Bibliophile, Part VI on October 20th: $1,345,684 

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

OSENAT. The Empire at Fontainebleau on October 7th: 222.72% 
PIASA. Art Nouveau Posters on October 17th: 138.26% 
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific and Travel Books on October 18th: 130.72% 
Sothebys. Arts of the Islamic World on October 19th: 126.82% 
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Antiques and Interiors with Pictures: Prints on October 17th: 125.83% 
PIASA. Library of Tissot Dupont - Part 1 on October 18th: 112.91% 
Artcurial. Prints and Illustrated Books on October 17th: 108.59% 
PIASA. Library of Tissot Dupont - Part 2 on October 19th: 108.35% 


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

National Book Auctions. Books, Art and Ephemera - Polar, West, Americana, Sendak etc on October 8th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 10/9 on October 16th: 100.00% 
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific and Travel Books on October 18th: 97.91% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 10/9 on October 16th: 97.55% 
Doyle New York. Prints and Multiples on October 18th: 89.91% 
Heritage Auctions. Manuscripts on October 20th: 85.49% 
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on October 15th: 81.25% 
 
 
Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Sothebys Kulliyat, signed by Na’im al-Din al-Katib,  on October 19th Actual price: USD $577,060.
  2. Sothebys UNRECORDED AUTOGRAPH SKETCH-LEAF FOR THE FIFTH PIANO CONCERTO IN E FLAT MAJOR, OP.73 ("EMPEROR"), DEDICATED TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLF, CONTAINING THEMES AND IDEAS FOR THE MAIN MATERIAL OF THE FIRST AND LAST MOVEMENTS on October 20th Actual price: USD $459,940.
  3. Heritage Auctions Georg Wittig Nobel Prize Medal in Chemistry Received in 1979, Together with Four Additional Medals. on October 20th Actual price: USD $274,000.
  4. Sothebys A compendium containing astrological and talismanic treatises and tracts mostly by Abu Ma’shar al-Balki (d.886 AD) and including numerous tables, signed by Mufaddal ibn Haydar and Mas’ud ibn As’ad,  on October 19th Actual price: USD $254,980.
  5. Sothebys A fine illuminated Qur'an, copied by Suleyman al-Uskudari, on October 19th Actual price: USD $240,340.
  6. PIASA Gamiani ou Une Nuit d'excès on October 19th Actual price: USD $226,698.
  7. Sothebys An illuminated muraqqa' of Ka'b ibn Zubayr's Qasida al-Burda, signed by Mustafa Izzet, on October 19th Actual price: USD $218,380.
  8. Sothebys A large illuminated firman bearing the tughra of Sultan Mehmed IV (r.1648-87) on October 19th Actual price: USD $211,060.
  9. Sothebys Abu ‘Abdallah Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Ibrahim al-Bukhari al-Ju’fi (d.870 AD) on October 19th Actual price: USD $196,420.
  10. Sothebys Prayers for the seven days of the week, signed by Ahmad Karahisari (d. circa 1556), on October 19th Actual price: USD $167,140.
  11. PIASA [Theuerdank]. Die Geuerlicheiten und Einsteils der Geschichten des loblichen streyt paren und hochberumbten helds und Ritters herr Tewrdannckhs on October 19th Actual price: USD $134,299.
  12. Sothebys Kitab al-taqsim wa al-tashjir, a treatise on medicine, signed by Sa’ad ibn Sa’id ibn Lutfallah ibn Sa’ad al-Katib al-Misri,  on October 19th Actual price: USD $109,800.
  13. Bonhams Reverie, from 11 Pop Artists, Vol. II on October 18th Actual price: USD $106,250.
  14. Sothebys the six books of the Mathnawi, on October 19th Actual price: USD $99,125.
  15. Sothebys LES TROIS MOUSQUETAIRES. on October 20th Actual price: USD $88,450.
  16. Swann Galleries 19 folding engraved plates. on October 18th Actual price: USD $87,500.
  17. Sothebys An illuminated Qur'an juz' (IV) on October 19th Actual price: USD $83,875.
  18. PIASA Fables choisies mises en vers par Jean de La Fontaine on October 19th Actual price: USD $82,819.
  19. Bonhams Corrida on October 18th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  20. Heritage Auctions Abraham Lincoln Carte de Visite by Mathew Brady Signed "A. Lincoln." 2.5" x 4". on October 20th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  21. Sothebys A large illuminated Qur'an, copied by Muhammad Reza ibn Muhammad Taqi al-Tabrizi, dedicated to Samsam al-Daulah Khan-e Dauran, on October 19th Actual price: USD $76,250.
  22. Sothebys Majmu'a, a scientific, astronomical and mathematical compendium of eleven works, dedicated to the Artuqid ruler Abu’l-Harith ibn Qara Arsalan ibn Artuq, on October 19th Actual price: USD $73,200.
  23. PIASA Les Français peints par eux-mêmes. Encyclopédie morale du XIXe siècle on October 18th Actual price: USD $68,926.
  24. Sothebys Guy va Chawgan (also known as Hal-nameh) on October 19th Actual price: USD $68,625.
  25. PIASA Liber chronicarum cum figuris et ymaginibus ab initio mundi on October 19th Actual price: USD $68,299.



25 total sales reported this week:

Ader. Vinyl and Memorabilia on October 11th: 36.98%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Fine Photographs on October 20th: 35.88%
Sothebys. The Library of an English Bibliophile, Part VI on October 20th: 72.50%
PIASA. Library of Tissot Dupont - Part 2 on October 19th: 76.17%
Bonhams. The Sporting Sale on October 19th: 73.47%
Sothebys. Arts of the Islamic World on October 19th: 66.67%
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific and Travel Books on October 18th: 97.91%
Bonhams. Prints and Multiples on October 18th: 79.07%
Dorotheum . Automobilia on October 18th: 75.45%
Doyle New York. Prints and Multiples on October 18th: 89.91%
PIASA. Library of Tissot Dupont - Part 1 on October 18th: 76.79%
Artcurial. Prints and Illustrated Books on October 17th: 61.70%
PIASA. Art Nouveau Posters on October 17th: 67.31%
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Antiques and Interiors with Pictures: Prints on October 17th: 32.26%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on October 18th: 76.47%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on October 16th: 69.44%
Clars Auction Gallery. Prints on October 15th: 81.25%
OSENAT. Automobilia on October 15th: 59.81%
Eldreds. The Marine Sale - Books and Prints on October 15th: 75.00%
OSENAT. The Empire at Fontainebleau on October 7th: 75.68%
RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Internet bidstart 9/23 on October 12th: 62.64%
National Book Auctions. Books, Art and Ephemera - Polar, West, Americana, Sendak etc on October 8th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Manuscripts on October 20th: 85.49%
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 10/9 on October 16th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 10/9 on October 16th: 97.55%


For the week ahead 35 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Oct. 24th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 89 lots

Tue. Oct. 25th
Bonhams. New York. Photographs. 90 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Interiors - Prints. 24 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. Fine and Vernacular Prints. 419 lots
Northeast Auctions. Portsmouth. Fall Portsmouth Auction - Prints, Books. 39 lots
Archives International Auctions. FORT LEE,. U.S. & Worldwide Scripophily, Banknotes & Security Printing Ephemera. 1013 lots
Quagga Rare Books and Art. Stellenbosch. Photographs and Photobooks - Part 1 - Internet bidstart 10/18. 72 lots
Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Books and Manuscripts. 353 lots

Wed. Oct. 26th
Sothebys. London. Collections - Prints, Books. 5 lots
Grays Auctioneers. Cleveland, . Fine Art - Prints. 37 lots
Sothebys. New York. Selections from the Fox Pointe Manor Library. 319 lots
Christies. New York. Old Masters - Prints. 10 lots
Purcell Auctioneers. Birr. Books. 518 lots

Thu. Oct. 27th
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Books and Works on Paper. 208 lots
Bloomsbury Auctions. London. Travel, Natural History and Colour Plate Books. 190 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. Rare and Important Travel Posters. 222 lots
Christies. London -South Kensington. First Open | Editions. 136 lots
Heritage Auctions. New York. Photographs. 738 lots
Auctionata. Berlin. Post War and Contemporary Art - Prints. 55 lots
Brunk Auctions. Asheville, NC . Prints - Online - Internet Bidstart 10/13. 59 lots
Forum Auctions in Italy. Roma. Rare Books. 405 lots
One Of Kind Collectibles. Coral Gables. Autographs,& Manuscripts and Sports. 367 lots
Sothebys. New York. Prints and Multiples. 352 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. The Edgar Rice Burroughs Collection of Roy and Dela White Internet Rare Books and Autographs. 505 lots

Fri. Oct. 28th
Eldreds. East Dennis,. The Rosenthal Collection. 13 lots
Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers. Norwich. East Anglian Sale - Books. 178 lots
Alaska Auction. Anchorage. Prints, Books. 37 lots

Sat. Oct. 29th
Gateway Gallery Auction. Chambersburg, PA . Sports Cards and Memorabilia. 361 lots
Aspire Auctions. Cleveland. Fine Art - Prints, Online bistart 10/21. 28 lots
Eldreds. East Dennis,. Fine and Decorative Arts - Prints. 19 lots
Potter and Potter Auctions. Chicago. The Magic Collection of David Baldwin. 144 lots
Alaska Auction. Anchorage. Prints, Books, Maps. 21 lots

Sun. Oct. 30th
Skinner. Boston. Fine Books and Manuscripts. 544 lots
Alexander Historical Auctions. Chesapeake City. Fall Autograph Auction 2016.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 10/23.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 10/23.

Bruce McKinney

RBH and 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
  • 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
  • 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