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Auction Update Review

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Eleven Auctions Archived, 24 Auctions Upcoming This Week

For the week ended Saturday, January 21st, 11 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 1 sale denominated in euros, 2 in British pounds, and 8 in US dollars.  Turnover was $4,226,135 as 2,913 lots were offered and 2,339 sold for an 80% success rate.  It’s January and already the market is lively.

 

1 auction saw its total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Sothebys. Alexander Hamilton: An Important Family Archive on January 18th: $2,645,750 


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

Sothebys. Alexander Hamilton: An Important Family Archive on January 18th: 125.10% 


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

Sothebys. Alexander Hamilton: An Important Family Archive on January 18th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 1/8 on January 15th: 99.66% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 1/8 on January 15th: 97.16% 
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Happy New Year Exposition Auction on January 13th: 90.91% 
Bonhams. A Gentleman's Library on January 19th: 86.67% 
Clars Auction Gallery. Antique, Art, Jewelry, Asian - Prints, Photographs on January 15th: 81.34% 
 
Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Sothebys A PREVOUSLY UNRECORDED AUTOGRAPH DRAFT OF PACIFICUS ESSAY NO. VI on January 18th Actual price: USD $262,500.
  2. Sothebys ALEXANDER HAMILTON'S APPOINTMENT AS AIDE-DE-CAMP TO GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON on January 18th Actual price: USD $212,500.
  3. Sothebys A GROUP OF 34 AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED ("PH. SCHUYLER"), 1790–1804, TO HIS DAUGHTER ELIZABETH SCHUYLER HAMILTON on January 18th Actual price: USD $125,000.
  4. Sothebys A GROUP OF 17 LETTERS, 1793–1803, ADDRESSED TO HIS SON-IN-LAW, ALEXANDER HAMILTON on January 18th Actual price: USD $118,750.
  5. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''AH'') TO ELIZABETH SCHUYLER (''MY DEAREST GIRL''); THE EARLIEST SURVIVING LOVE LETTER FROM ALEXANDER HAMILTON TO HIS FUTURE WIFE  on January 18th Actual price: USD $118,750.
  6. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''A HAMILTON) TO ELIZABETH HAMILTON, ANNOUNCING THAT THE ARMY IS PREPARING TO ENGAGE CORNWALLIS IN VIRGINIA on January 18th Actual price: USD $106,250.
  7. Sothebys CORRESPONDENCE ABOUT HIS REPUTATION AS A SOLDIER AND A GENTLEMAN NEARLY PROVOKING A DUEL, 1779 on January 18th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  8. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO ELIZABETH SCHUYLER, ANNOUNCING THE TREASON OF BENEDICT ARNOLD on January 18th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  9. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''AH'') TO ANGELICA SCHUYLER CHURCH, SENDING AND REQUESTING FAMILY NEWS on January 18th Actual price: USD $62,500.
  10. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH NOTES PREPARED FOR PRESIDENT WASHINGTON'S THIRD ANNUAL MESSAGE TO CONGRESS on January 18th Actual price: USD $62,500.
  11. RR Auction George Washington ALS on January 11th Actual price: USD $61,931.
  12. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER DRAFT TO LOUIS-MARIE, VICOMTE DE NOAILLES, ABOUT THE PRESENT MILITARY AND FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE UNITED STATES on January 18th Actual price: USD $60,000.
  13. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY RICHARD FOLWELL (''RICD. FOLWELL'') TO EDWARD JONES, PROVIDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION, INTENDED FOR ALEXANDER HAMILTON, ON MARIA REYNOLDS AND A SUPPOSED CONSPIRACY TO ENTRAP HIM on January 18th Actual price: USD $56,250.
  14. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER DRAFT TO AN UNNAMED RECIPIENT (BUT POSSIBLY JEREMIAH WADSWORTH), REGARDING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1796 on January 18th Actual price: USD $56,250.
  15. Sothebys A GROUP OF LETTERS WRITTEN TO HER BROTHER-IN-LAW ALEXANDER HAMILTON, 1789–1795 on January 18th Actual price: USD $56,250.
  16. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (ACHURCH") TO RENSSELAER SCHUYLER, REPORTING THE DEATH OF PHILIP HAMILTON IN A DUEL on January 18th Actual price: USD $50,000.
  17. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''AH'') TO ELIZABETH HAMILTON (''MY LOVED ELIZA''), REPORTING PREPARATIONS TO PUT DOWN THE WHISKEY REBELLION on January 18th Actual price: USD $50,000.
  18. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''AH'') TO ELIZABETH SCHUYLER; AN ANGUISHED, PLEADING LOVE LETTER THAT ALSO ANNOUNCES THE ARRIVAL OF FRENCH GENERAL ROCHAMBEAU on January 18th Actual price: USD $47,500.
  19. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("I AM AND I ALWAYS WILL BE YOUR AFFECTIONATE FATHER PH. SCHUYLER''), TO ELIZABETH HAMILTON, EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES AND CONSOLATION UPON THE RECENT, TRAGIC DEATH OF HER HUSBAND on January 18th Actual price: USD $43,750.
  20. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED (''ALEX HAMILTON'') TO ELIZABETH SCHUYLER; AN EARLY LOVE LETTER, REGRETTING THEIR SEPARATION AND HOPING FOR THEIR REUNION on January 18th Actual price: USD $43,750.
  21. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO MARGARITA (PEGGY) SCHUYLER, CONFESSING HIS LOVE FOR HER SISTER ELIZABETH on January 18th Actual price: USD $43,750.
  22. Sothebys A GROUP OF AUTOGRAPH DOCUMENTS AND LETTERS RELATED TO PREPARATIONS AT FORT TICONDEROGA FOR THE INVASION OF CANADA, 1775 on January 18th Actual price: USD $43,750.
  23. Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers Thian Master Album with 297 Specimens of Confederate Currency on January 14th Actual price: USD $41,300.
  24. Sothebys TWO AUTOGRAPH MEMORANDA, ONE WITH A DIAGRAM, PLANNING THE GARDENS AT THE GRANGE on January 18th Actual price: USD $40,000.
  25. Sothebys AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ("P. HAMILTON") TO HIS FATHER, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, ("DEAR PAPA"), DISCUSSING HIS SCHOOLING AND HIS DESIRE TO BE "A GOOD MAN" on January 18th Actual price: USD $40,000.



11 total sales reported this week:

Bonhams. A Gentleman's Library on January 19th: 86.67%
Sothebys. Alexander Hamilton: An Important Family Archive on January 18th: 100.00%
Kolbe and Fanning Numismatic Booksellers. 2017 New York Book Auction on January 14th: 67.67%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on January 17th: 79.78%
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Happy New Year Exposition Auction on January 13th: 90.91%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Prints from the Collection of Clifford and Rosemary Ellis on January 16th: 33.74%
Clars Auction Gallery. Antique, Art, Jewelry, Asian - Prints, Photographs on January 15th: 81.34%
Clars Auction Gallery. Asian, Furniture, Jewelry, Art: Prints on January 14th: 69.11%
RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Internet bidstart 12/16 on January 11th: 72.39%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 1/8 on January 15th: 97.16%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 1/8 on January 15th: 99.66%


For the week ahead 24 sales are scheduled.

Mon. Jan. 23rd
Auctionata. Berlin. Antiques and Collectibles - Books. 14 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 71 lots

Tue. Jan. 24th
Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Books and Documents. 320 lots

Wed. Jan. 25th
Christies. New York. Old Master Prints. 237 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Printed Books, Maps and Documents. 543 lots
Forum Auctions. London. Fine Books and Works on Paper. 317 lots
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Hudson. American Prints & Drawings: 1925-1975. 117 lots
Tooveys. West Sussex. Prints. 16 lots
25 Blythe Road. LONDON. British & Continental Pictures & Prints - Photographs.
Ader. PARIS. Classic Sale - Books, Prints.
De Baecque and Associes. Lyon. China and Asian Art - Letters and Prints.

Thu. Jan. 26th
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Cape Town. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 1/6. 417 lots
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Literature and Modern First Editions. 504 lots
Swann Galleries. New York. Alphonse Mucha & Masters of Art Nouveau: The Harry C. Meyerhoff Collection. 218 lots
Tajan. Paris. Modern and Contemporary Works of Art - Prints. 6 lots
Eldreds. East Dennis,. Prints in Art and Collectibles - Internet bidstart 1/14. 28 lots

Fri. Jan. 27th
Tajan. Paris. A Doctor's Library. 303 lots
Skinner. Boston. Fine Prints, Photographs. 199 lots
Auctionata. Berlin. Space History Sale. 21 lots
Brunk Auctions. Asheville, NC . January Sale. 75 lots

Sat. Jan. 28th
Arader Galleries. New York City. Winter 2017 Auction. 284 lots
OSENAT. FONTAINEBLEAU. Automobilia.

Sun. Jan. 29th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 1/22.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 1/22.

Bruce McKinney

RBH and AE

  • 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
  • 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