Auction Update Review

Fifty-one Auctions Archived, 14 Upcoming this Week

For the week ended Saturday 16 December 2017 51 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 3 in Swiss francs, 23 in euros, 8 in British pounds, 1 in Hong Kong dollars, and 16 in US dollars.  Turnover was $35,891,360 as 20,860 lots were offered and 14,929 sold for a 72% success rate.  The thoroughbreds were in fine form.

 

12 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Christies. Valuable Books and Manuscripts on December 13th: $6,207,885 
Christies. The Astor Collection from Tillypronie, Aberdeenshire on December 15th: $4,074,605 
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children’s Books & Illustrations on December 12th: $2,004,359 
Christies. Old Master Prints on December 14th: $1,934,123 
Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 10th: $1,512,467 
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts on December 11th: $1,506,129 
Doyle New York. Photographs, including: Ansel Adams: The Complete Museum Set on December 14th: $1,480,638 
Sothebys. History of Science and Technology on December 12th: $1,462,375 
Galerie Bassenge. 15th-19th Century Prints on November 30th: $1,192,419 
Artcurial. Limited Edition on December 13th: $1,153,627 
Bonhams. Voices of the 20th Century on December 6th: $1,109,373 
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Fine Prints on December 14th: $1,055,589 



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

Christies. The Astor Collection from Tillypronie, Aberdeenshire on December 15th: 160.21% 
Koller Auctions. Prints and Multiples on December 9th: 121.43% 
Galerie Bassenge. Modern Art Part II - Prints on December 2nd: 108.39% 
Galerie Bassenge. Modern Art Part I - Prints on December 2nd: 107.46% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 12th: 103.67% 
Artcurial. Limited Edition on December 13th: 101.93% 
Swann Galleries. Illustration Art on December 14th: 101.22% 


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

Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 10th: 99.52% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 98.15% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 97.33% 
Christies. The Astor Collection from Tillypronie, Aberdeenshire on December 15th: 96.36% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. The Library of Richard Adams, author of Watership Down on December 14th: 96.27% 
Michaans Auctions. Gallery Auction - Books, Prints, Photographs on December 9th: 93.88% 
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - Online bidstart 12/5 on December 12th: 92.40% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 12th: 91.04% 
Heritage Auctions. HKINF World Currency Signature Auction on December 8th: 90.21% 
Doyle New York. Photographs, including: Ansel Adams: The Complete Museum Set on December 14th: 87.37% 
Galerie Bassenge. Modern Art Part I - Prints on December 2nd: 85.89% 
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Fine Prints on December 14th: 85.45% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on December 12th: 84.98% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on December 13th: 84.84% 
Koller Auctions. Prints and Multiples on December 9th: 84.00% 

 

 

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Christies On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. on December 13th Actual price: USD $1,056,925.
  2. Christies THE RIPLEY SCROLL, an illustrated alchemical manuscript, in English and Latin, on vellum, England on December 13th Actual price: USD $783,565.
  3. Sothebys A FULLY OPERATIONAL FOUR-ROTOR ("M4") KRIEGSMARINE ENIGMA CIPHER MACHINE. on December 12th Actual price: USD $435,000.
  4. Bonhams Autograph Manuscript in Japanese, Showa Tenno Dokuhakuroku ??????? "The Emperor's Monologue," on December 6th Actual price: USD $275,000.
  5. Christies A covey of red grouse by a spring on December 15th Actual price: USD $268,000.
  6. Christies The literary and personal archive of Brendan Behan (1923-1964). on December 13th Actual price: USD $268,000.
  7. Christies NOBEL PRIZE MEDAL. Nobel Prize Medal in Literature awarded to Doris Lessing in 2007. on December 13th Actual price: USD $251,250.
  8. Leslie Hindman Auctioneers Nature morte au verre sous la lampe on December 14th Actual price: USD $245,000.
  9. Christies Blackgame in the glen on December 15th Actual price: USD $234,500.
  10. Christies Divina proportione. Ed. Antonio Capella. De l'architectura. on December 13th Actual price: USD $234,500.
  11. Koller Auctions Thinking Nude, State I. 1994. on December 9th Actual price: USD $224,725.
  12. Christies AN EARLY ENGLISH GLASS CELESTIAL GLOBE [with:] a 3 page sales catalogue in Portuguese and English Esphera Celeste Descripçã d’esta preciosa obra d’arte do seculo XVIII Existente em Portugal. on December 13th Actual price: USD $217,750.
  13. Christies Adam and Eve on December 14th Actual price: USD $201,000.
  14. Sothebys THE 1954 NOBEL PRIZE MEDAL FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE AWARDED TO FREDERICK C. ROBBINS on December 12th Actual price: USD $200,000.
  15. Christies 'The eagle's stoop': a golden eagle snatching a ptarmigan on December 15th Actual price: USD $175,875.
  16. Christies 'A frosty dawn' on December 15th Actual price: USD $159,125.
  17. Christies Blackgame in snow, evening on December 15th Actual price: USD $150,750.
  18. Christies Self-Portrait etching at a Window on December 14th Actual price: USD $150,750.
  19. Christies Voyage autour du Caucase, chez les Tcherkesses et les Abkhases, en Colchide, en Géorgie, en Arménie et en Crimée. on December 13th Actual price: USD $150,750.
  20. Christies Autograph music manuscript, a complete draft of the orchestral and choral score for Gaudeamus igitur - Humoreske (LWV L11; R541; S.71), on December 13th Actual price: USD $150,750.
  21. Christies The Marine Atlas or Seaman's Complete Pilot. on December 13th Actual price: USD $147,400.
  22. Doyle New York Sequence of five images. on December 14th Actual price: USD $137,500.
  23. Christies Melencolia I on December 14th Actual price: USD $134,000.
  24. Christies Blackgame packing on December 15th Actual price: USD $125,625.
  25. Christies Ruslan i Liudmila. Poema v shesti pesniakh. [Ruslan and Liudmila. A Poem in Six Cantos.] on December 13th Actual price: USD $125,625.



51 total sales reported this week:

RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Internet bidstart 11/17 on December 14th: 58.65%
Doyle New York. Photographs, including: Ansel Adams: The Complete Museum Set on December 14th: 87.37%
Artcurial. Limited Edition on December 13th: 76.80%
Henri Godts Books and Prints Auctions. Live Auction - Books, Prints on December 12th: 71.80%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. The Library of Richard Adams, author of Watership Down on December 14th: 96.27%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on December 13th: 84.84%
PBA Galleries. Fine Americana - Travel & Exploration - World History - Cartography on December 14th: 69.82%
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Fine Prints on December 14th: 85.45%
Bloomsbury Auctions. Books and Works on Paper, Including Fine Photographs on December 14th: 63.23%
Swann Galleries. Illustration Art on December 14th: 70.36%
Bonhams. The Producer's Pix - Photographs from the Collection of Bruce Berman on December 15th: 48.45%
Bonhams. Entertainment Memorabilia on December 13th: 63.80%
Bruun Rasmussen. Books and Manuscripts on December 12th: 84.98%
Christies. The Astor Collection from Tillypronie, Aberdeenshire on December 15th: 96.36%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on December 12th: 91.04%
Christies. Old Master Prints on December 14th: 68.66%
Christies. Valuable Books and Manuscripts on December 13th: 71.60%
ALDE. Letters, Autographs, Manuscripts on December 13th: 44.17%
ALDE. Original Editions, 19th-21st Centuries on December 11th: 41.82%
Sothebys. History of Science and Technology on December 12th: 57.75%
Sothebys. English Literature, History, Children’s Books & Illustrations on December 12th: 70.03%
Sothebys. Fine Books and Manuscripts on December 11th: 62.11%
Michaans Auctions. Gallery Auction - Books, Prints, Photographs on December 9th: 93.88%
One Of Kind Collectibles. Rare Collectible - Internet bidstart 11/17 on December 7th: 78.20%
Binoche et Giquello. Ancient and Modern Books on December 8th: 50.00%
Galerie Bassenge. Photography on December 6th: 63.17%
Galerie Bassenge. 15th-19th Century Prints on November 30th: 64.44%
Galerie Bassenge. From the Library of a Rare Print Dealer on November 30th: 48.72%
Galerie Bassenge. Modern Art Part I - Prints on December 2nd: 85.89%
Galerie Bassenge. Modern Art Part II - Prints on December 2nd: 79.09%
Old World Auctions. Antique Maps, Globes, Charts, Atlases & Vintage Graphics - online bidstart 11/1 on November 15th: 69.83%
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - Online bidstart 12/5 on December 12th: 92.40%
Tajan. Books and Manuscripts on December 6th: 48.10%
PIASA. Editions on December 6th: 64.79%
Koller Auctions. Fashion: Vintage and Photography on December 6th: 36.11%
Koller Auctions. Photography on December 6th: 43.38%
Koller Auctions. Prints and Multiples on December 9th: 84.00%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 97.33%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/3 on December 10th: 98.15%
Heritage Auctions. Animation Art on December 10th: 99.52%
Kiefer Buch und Kunstauktionen. Rare Books and Fine Prints on December 9th: 68.65%
Bubb Kuyper. Drawings, Old Master Prints, Maps and Plans on November 24th: 73.31%
Bubb Kuyper. Ceramics, Photos, Japanese Prints, and Posters on November 23rd: 63.57%
Bubb Kuyper. Modern Art: Prints, etc. on November 23rd: 77.19%
Bubb Kuyper. Old and Rare Books (Part 2) on November 22nd: 69.00%
Bubb Kuyper. Indonesia, Africana, (Natural) history, Manuscripts, Old and Rare Books on November 22nd: 67.45%
Bubb Kuyper. Fine printing, Literature on November 21st: 67.60%
Bubb Kuyper. Art books, Children's books, Varia on November 21st: 68.26%
Heritage Auctions. HKINF World Currency Signature Auction on December 8th: 90.21%
Forum Auctions in Italy. Books and Works on Paper on November 29th: 43.88%
Bonhams. Voices of the 20th Century on December 6th: 35.71%


For the week ahead 12 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Dec. 18th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 68 lots
Bonhams. London. Prints and Multiples. 123 lots
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. Fine Books, Including the Culpin World War I Art Collection. 249 lots

Tue. Dec. 19th
Alexander Historical Auctions. Chesapeake City. Autographs. 1615 lots
Pandolfini. Florence . Asian Art - Books. 27 lots
Profiles in History. Calabasas Hills. The Sherlock Holmes Collection of Daniel Posnansky. 293 lots
Profiles in History. Calabasas Hills. Superman: the Auction. 37 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - Online bidstart 12/12. 513 lots

Wed. Dec. 20th
Aguttes. Neuilly-sur-Seine . The Aristophil Collections - Inaugural Sale. 190 lots
Sothebys. New York. Important Judaica. 89 lots

Sun. Dec. 24th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 12/17.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 12/17.

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