Auction Update Review

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Thirty-nine Auctions Archived, 23 Upcoming this Week

For the week ended Saturday, May 20th, 39 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 15 denominated in euros, 6 in British pounds, 1 in Swedish krona, and 17 in US dollars.  Turnover was $11,485,315 as 14,985 lots were offered and 9,934 sold for a 66% success rate.  It was an active week.  The average realization was $1,156.

3 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Heritage Auctions. Comics on May 19th: $8,339,389 
Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen. Books, Graphics modern and ancient Arts, Antiques - Day 1 on May 5th: $1,069,749 
Sothebys. Photographs on May 19th: $1,060,800 

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

Binoche et Giquello. Autographs and Manuscripts on May 12th: 145.03% 
Lyon and Turnbull. Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Photography on May 17th: 144.16% 
Ader. Old and Modern Prints - Day 1 on May 11th: 121.57% 
Binoche et Giquello. PHOTOGRAPHS : ADOLPHE BRAUN – Fifty five Views of the Alps on May 17th: 109.25% 
Tooveys. Postcards, Cigarette Cards; Photographs, Autographs, Printed & Manuscript Ephemera on May 16th: 107.81% 

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Heritage Auctions The Airplane as Art (portfolio of 302 photographs), 1986-1997 (one taken in 2000) on May 19th Actual price: USD $125,000.
  2. Heritage Auctions Apollo Guidance Computer: Original Display and Keyboard (DSKY) Unit. on May 19th Actual price: USD $93,750.
  3. Zisska and Lacher DIOSCORIDES LATINUS – Einzelblatt aus einer lateinischen Handschrift der Materia medica von Dioskurides auf Pergament. on May 12th Actual price: USD $90,188.
  4. Sothebys 'MANKIND', 2014 on May 19th Actual price: USD $78,000.
  5. Sothebys 'NAN AND BRIAN IN BED, N.Y.C.', 1983 on May 19th Actual price: USD $65,000.
  6. Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen Atlas novus. on May 5th Actual price: USD $62,784.
  7. Freemans FORMS IN SPACE on May 16th Actual price: USD $62,500.
  8. Swann Galleries Seven Pillars of Wisdom, A Triumph. on May 16th Actual price: USD $62,500.
  9. Sothebys 'LYDIA', 1987 on May 19th Actual price: USD $61,750.
  10. Heritage Auctions Apollo Lunar Module Reaction Control System Marquardt R-4D Rocket Engine with Extended Nozzle, Manufactured in 1965. on May 19th Actual price: USD $57,500.
  11. Sothebys 'PARADISE 17, CALIFORNIA', 1999 on May 19th Actual price: USD $56,875.
  12. Sothebys LE DÉJEUNER SUR L'HERBE, 1964 on May 17th Actual price: USD $52,725.
  13. Zisska and Lacher DIOSCORIDES LATINUS – Einzelblatt aus einer lateinischen Handschrift der Materia medica von Dioskurides auf Pergament. on May 12th Actual price: USD $51,338.
  14. Sothebys 'DIORAMA MAP, LONDON', 2010 on May 19th Actual price: USD $45,500.
  15. Neret Minet and Tessier Ensemble de quatre sphères terrestre, céleste et armillaires signées Jean Baptiste FORTIN (1740-1817) on May 5th Actual price: USD $43,600.
  16. Heritage Auctions Nastassja Kinski and the Serpent, Los Angeles, California, 1981 on May 19th Actual price: USD $42,500.
  17. Sothebys 'PORTRAIT OF ELEPHANT IN DUST, AMBOSELI', 2011 on May 19th Actual price: USD $42,250.
  18. Sothebys 'BEAUTY', C. 1936 on May 19th Actual price: USD $40,625.
  19. Sothebys 'UNTITLED (NUDE RECLINING)', 1922-28 on May 19th Actual price: USD $40,625.
  20. Artcurial Roman notes I (Issue de Roman Notes) - 1970 on May 16th Actual price: USD $40,404.
  21. Artcurial Portrait de famille Ingresque III - 1963-64 on May 16th Actual price: USD $40,404.
  22. Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen Album mit 50 (je ca. 21,5 x 27 cm) auf starke Kart.-Bl. aufgez. Photos (albumen prints), tls. bei Pow Kee, on May 5th Actual price: USD $39,240.
  23. Freemans MARILYN MONROE (MARILYN) on May 16th Actual price: USD $37,500.
  24. Ader Visage (Marie-Thérèse). on May 12th Actual price: USD $36,438.
  25. Artcurial Vesuvius - 1985 on May 16th Actual price: USD $34,632.



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

Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 5/7 on May 14th: 99.44%
Heritage Auctions. Comics on May 19th: 99.11%
Skinner. Irresistible. Unreserved. - Books, Prints - bidstart 4/26 on May 12th: 97.73%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on May 19th: 96.83%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 5/7 on May 14th: 96.01%
Binoche et Giquello. Autographs and Manuscripts on May 12th: 95.00%
Freemans. Modern and Contemporary Art - Prints and Photographs on May 16th: 90.28%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on May 11th: 88.00%
Swann Galleries. 19th and 20th Century Literature on May 16th: 86.30%
Tooveys. Postcards, Cigarette Cards; Photographs, Autographs, Printed & Manuscript Ephemera on May 16th: 84.65%
Tooveys. Prints on May 17th: 82.61%
Ader. Old and Modern Prints - Day 2 on May 12th: 81.94%
Potter and Potter Auctions. Gambling Memorabilia - Day 1 - Cards, Books, Ephemera on May 6th: 80.88%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on May 16th: 80.61%
Artcurial. Limited Editions on May 16th: 80.49%
Sothebys. Design - Prints, Photographs on May 17th: 80.00%


39 total sales reported this week:

Heritage Auctions. Comics on May 19th: 99.11%
Heritage Auctions. Space Exploration on May 19th: 96.83%
Heritage Auctions. Photographs, Internet Auction - Session 1 on May 19th: 67.47%
Sothebys. The Discerning Eye: Property from the Collection of Eric Franck, Part I on May 19th: 40.34%
Sothebys. Photographs on May 19th: 58.59%
PBA Galleries. Fine Literature on May 18th: 71.73%
Lyon and Turnbull. Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Photography on May 17th: 78.06%
Binoche et Giquello. PHOTOGRAPHS : ADOLPHE BRAUN – Fifty five Views of the Alps on May 17th: 72.73%
Tajan. Manuscripts and Autographs on May 17th: 36.18%
Zisska and Lacher. Books, Manuscripts, Autographs, Atlases, Prints on May 12th: 67.93%
Sothebys. Design - Prints, Photographs on May 17th: 80.00%
Artcurial. Limited Editions on May 16th: 80.49%
Tooveys. Prints on May 17th: 82.61%
Aguttes. A WEEKEND IN BAGATELLE - GENTLEMEN ONLY: CULTURAL CHARITY SALE & AUCTION - Prints on April 22nd: 36.67%
Aguttes. Part 1: Collection Cross: Prints on April 19th: 61.54%
The Antiquarian Book. Online auction sale of old & rare books, maps, prints, documents and vintage photography on May 10th: 23.33%
Freemans. Modern and Contemporary Art - Prints and Photographs on May 16th: 90.28%
Holabird Kagin Americana. Dynamite, Guns, and Gold (Session 3, Western Americana, Cowboy, Indian) on April 30th: 66.04%
Holabird Kagin Americana. Dynamite, Guns, and Gold(Session 2, Minerals, Gold, Numismatics, Firearms, ) on April 29th: 63.16%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on May 11th: 88.00%
Holabird Kagin Americana. Dynamite, Guns and Gold - Day 1 - Books, mining ephemera, manuscripts on April 28th: 79.10%
Swann Galleries. 19th and 20th Century Literature on May 16th: 86.30%
Tooveys. Postcards, Cigarette Cards; Photographs, Autographs, Printed & Manuscript Ephemera on May 16th: 84.65%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on May 16th: 80.61%
Rossini. Lithographs, Aquatints, Posters, Engravings - Online bidstart 4/26 on May 15th: 17.80%
Stockholms Auktionsverk. Modern Art and Design - Prints on May 11th: 75.61%
Skinner. Irresistible. Unreserved. - Books, Prints - bidstart 4/26 on May 12th: 97.73%
Ader. Old and Modern Prints - Day 2 on May 12th: 81.94%
Binoche et Giquello. Autographs and Manuscripts on May 12th: 95.00%
Ader. Old and Modern Prints - Day 1 on May 11th: 70.03%
Neret Minet and Tessier. Marine and Travel - Books, Prints, Maps on May 5th: 45.61%
RR Auction. Autographs and Artifacts - Internet bidstart 4/21 on May 10th: 67.94%
Potter and Potter Auctions. Gambling Memorabilia - Day 2 - Coin-op, cheating, poker chips on May 7th: 71.88%
Potter and Potter Auctions. Gambling Memorabilia - Day 1 - Cards, Books, Ephemera on May 6th: 80.88%
Michaans Auctions. May Estate Auction on May 13th: 54.55%
Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen. Books, Graphics modern and ancient Arts, Antiques - Day 2 on May 6th: 47.94%
Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen. Books, Graphics modern and ancient Arts, Antiques - Day 1 on May 5th: 47.33%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 5/7 on May 14th: 96.01%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 5/7 on May 14th: 99.44%


For the week ahead 23 sales are scheduled:

Mon. May. 22nd
Il Ponte. Milan. Books, Manuscripts and Engravings. 214 lots
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Hamburg. Rare Books. 102 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 95 lots
Ketterer Kunst Doerling. Hamburg. Valuable Books - Part 2. 345 lots

Tue. May. 23rd
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Chicago. Fine Prints. 370 lots
PIASA. Paris. Photographs. 154 lots
Bonhams. Edinburgh. The Sporting Sale - Books and Prints. 39 lots
Sothebys. London. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts and Continental Books. 128 lots
Sothebys. London. Musical Manuscripts. 54 lots

Wed. May. 24th
ALDE. Paris. Original Editions and Illustrated Books. 547 lots
Doyle New York. New York. The Estate of Aileen Mehle. 51 lots
Forum Auctions. London. Important Books and Manuscripts. 230 lots
Moreshet Auctions. Jerusalem. Judaica - Books, Manuscripts, Letters. 64 lots

Thu. May. 25th
Swann Galleries. New York. Graphic Design. 330 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . 15th-19th Century Prints. 671 lots
Brunk Auctions. Asheville, NC . Online Sale: Naturalist Prints and More... Internet bidstart 5/11. 57 lots
Sothebys. London. Alexander Iolas - Prints. 31 lots

Sat. May. 27th
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Modern Art, part 1 - Prints. 137 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . Modern Art, Part 2 - Prints. 235 lots
Aspire Auctions. Cleveland. Art - Prints - bidstart 5/19. 96 lots
Galerie Bassenge. Berlin-Grunewald . An American Private Collection - From Lesser Ury to Rolf Nesch. 51 lots

Sun. May. 28th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 5/21.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 5/21.

Bruce McKinney

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