Auction Update Review

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Rare Book Hub: 30 Auctions Archived, Another 34 Upcoming this Week

For the week ended Saturday 9 March 2019 30 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 5 denominated in euros, 5 in British pounds, and 20 in US dollars.  Sales totaled $13,191,191 as 9,035 lots were offered and 7,659 sold for a 85% success rate.  The auction market for collectible paper continues to be very strong.

 

3 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Christies. Masterpieces of Design and Photography - Photographs on March 6th: $4,617,690 
Swann Galleries. 19th Century Prints and Drawings on March 5th: $2,741,636 
Heritage Auctions. Books on March 6th: $1,684,038 
 

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

Skinner. American Furniture & Decorative Arts - Prints on March 2nd: 153.59% 
Heritage Auctions. Books on March 6th: 140.89% 
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books on March 7th: 124.32% 
Leland Little Auctions. Important Spring Auction - Books, Prints on March 2nd: 121.78% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on March 6th: 120.14% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Fine Art - Prints on March 7th: 109.67% 
Waverly Auctions. Waverly Rare Books Presidential & Americana Auction on February 28th: 104.60% 


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

Heritage Auctions. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 3/29 on March 5th: 100.00% 
Leland Little Auctions. Important Spring Auction - Books, Prints on March 2nd: 100.00% 
National Book Auctions. Cartography, Books-on-Books, Antique, etc. on March 3rd: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 2/24 on March 3rd: 99.47% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 2/3 on March 3rd: 99.04% 
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on March 2nd: 98.82% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 2/24 on March 3rd: 97.84% 
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 2/26 on March 5th: 97.84% 
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Multiple Estates Art and Antiques on March 2nd: 97.22% 
Heritage Auctions. Books on March 6th: 96.90% 
Waverly Auctions. Waverly Rare Books Presidential & Americana Auction on February 28th: 95.26% 
Skinner. American Furniture & Decorative Arts - Prints on March 2nd: 92.50% 
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books on March 7th: 91.27% 
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on March 6th: 89.68% 
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Sporting Books and Art and Art Books on March 2nd: 89.58% 
Christies. Masterpieces of Design and Photography - Photographs on March 6th: 85.71% 
PBA Galleries. Mystery and Detective Fiction on March 7th: 81.36% 
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on March 7th: 80.20% 
 

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Christies Self-Portrait ('The Constructor') on March 6th Actual price: USD $1,250,370.
  2. Christies Shell (Nautilus) on March 6th Actual price: USD $680,130.
  3. Christies Mailänder Dom (innen), Mailand on March 6th Actual price: USD $553,410.
  4. Christies Fördertürme (Winding Towers) on March 6th Actual price: USD $442,530.
  5. Christies Yellow Sea on March 6th Actual price: USD $313,500.
  6. Christies Teenage couple on Hudson Street N.Y.C, 1963 on March 6th Actual price: USD $272,250.
  7. Christies Cigarette No. 37, New York on March 6th Actual price: USD $231,000.
  8. Christies Avedon Paris on March 6th Actual price: USD $231,000.
  9. Christies May Day I on March 6th Actual price: USD $198,000.
  10. RR Auction Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and World Leaders on March 6th Actual price: USD $192,659.
  11. Heritage Auctions The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, as Agreed upon by the Federal Convention, September 17, 1787. on March 6th Actual price: USD $187,500.
  12. Christies Lutz & Alex, Schwanzgriff on March 6th Actual price: USD $165,000.
  13. Christies Paradise 03, Daintree, Australien on March 6th Actual price: USD $156,750.
  14. Christies Lutz & Alex sitting in the trees on March 6th Actual price: USD $123,750.
  15. Swann Galleries Homme à la Pipe: Portrait du Docteur Gachet. on March 5th Actual price: USD $106,250.
  16. Swann Galleries Don Quichotte e Sancio Panza. on March 5th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  17. Heritage Auctions Moo-Reese Tabletop Cow. on March 6th Actual price: USD $93,750.
  18. Swann Galleries La Prose du Transsibérien et de la petite Jehanne de France by Blaise Cendrars. on March 5th Actual price: USD $87,500.
  19. Swann Galleries Illustrations of the Book of Job. on March 5th Actual price: USD $87,500.
  20. Swann Galleries Sommer I. on March 5th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  21. Heritage Auctions Red Harvest. on March 6th Actual price: USD $75,000.
  22. RR Auction Sun Yat-sen on March 6th Actual price: USD $67,759.
  23. Heritage Auctions The Big Sleep. on March 6th Actual price: USD $57,500.
  24. Swann Galleries Natura Morta con Cinque Oggetti. on March 5th Actual price: USD $47,500.
  25. Swann Galleries Le Permissionaire. on March 5th Actual price: USD $47,500.



30 total sales reported this week:

Guernseys. Collector's Odyssey - Day 2 on February 21st: 66.33%
Guernseys. Collector's Odyssey - Day 1 on February 20th: 70.05%
Thomaston Place Auction Galleries. Rare Books, Documents, Graphic Arts and Photographs on March 1st: 68.58%
PBA Galleries. Mystery and Detective Fiction on March 7th: 81.36%
Swann Galleries. Early Printed, Medical, Scientific & Travel Books on March 7th: 91.27%
RR Auction. Marvels of Modern Music - Internet bidstart 3/7 on March 6th: 65.51%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Fine Art - Prints on March 7th: 70.30%
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Printed Books, Maps and Documents on March 6th: 89.68%
Rossini. DISPERSION OF M. GAULARD'S COLLECTION, FIRST PART, on March 5th: 60.43%
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Sporting Books and Art and Art Books on March 2nd: 89.58%
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Multiple Estates Art and Antiques on March 2nd: 97.22%
Christies. Masterpieces of Design and Photography - Photographs on March 6th: 85.71%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on March 7th: 80.20%
Waverly Auctions. Waverly Rare Books Presidential & Americana Auction on February 28th: 95.26%
Heritage Auctions. Books on March 6th: 96.90%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on March 6th: 72.97%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on March 5th: 79.52%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Select Modern and Contemporary Editions and Artists' Books on March 5th: 79.89%
Swann Galleries. 19th Century Prints and Drawings on March 5th: 68.79%
Heritage Auctions. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 3/29 on March 5th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 2/26 on March 5th: 97.84%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 2/24 on March 3rd: 99.47%
National Book Auctions. Cartography, Books-on-Books, Antique, etc. on March 3rd: 100.00%
Leland Little Auctions. Important Spring Auction - Books, Prints on March 2nd: 100.00%
Skinner. American Furniture & Decorative Arts - Prints on March 2nd: 92.50%
Purcell Auctioneers. Railwayana - signs, posters - books, prints on February 27th: 63.53%
Aste Bolaffi. Mountain Memorabilia on February 28th: 60.00%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 2/24 on March 3rd: 97.84%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 2/3 on March 3rd: 99.04%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on March 2nd: 98.82%


For the week ahead 34 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Mar. 11th
Bonhams. New York. The Medical and Scientific Library of W. Bruce Fye. 404 lots
Holabird Kagin Americana. Reno. Wigwam Auction - session 5. 521 lots
Robert Siegel Galleries. New York. United States Postal History. 998 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 66 lots

Tue. Mar. 12th
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Berlin. Autographs. 733 lots
Binoche et Giquello. rue La Boetie, Paris. BIBLIOTHÈQUE JEAN-PAUL LAURENCHET GASTRONOMY WINE TASTING. 400 lots
Bonhams. New York. Extraordinary Books and Manuscripts. 57 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 3/5. 609 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 3/5. 205 lots
Kedem Auction. Jerusalem . Judaica, Books, Manuscripts, Rabbinic Letters. 379 lots

Wed. Mar. 13th
Purcell Auctioneers. Birr. Irish Interest Books - Railwayana Books and Ephemera. 602 lots
Vermot de Pas. Paris. Library about Gastronomy - Part 1. 447 lots
Nye & Company Auctioneers. Bloomfield. Timed Auction, Session 2: Fine Art Prints. 7 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Vintage Photographs of Norman Seeff - Online bidstart 2/26. 50 lots
Grays Auctioneers. Cleveland, . Fine Art - Prints. 131 lots

Thu. Mar. 14th
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Cape Town. Books - PREVIEW - Internet Bidstart 3/7. 506 lots
Artcurial. Paris. Prints and Illustrated Books. 242 lots
Bonhams. New York. Treasures from the Eric C. Caren Collection - Online bidstart 3/6. 267 lots
Doyle New York. New York. Travel & Sport in India & Asia from the Library of Arnold 'Jake' Johnson - bidstart 2/28. 335 lots
RR Auction. Amherst. Fine Autographs and Artifacts - Internet bid start 2/22. 761 lots
Soler Y Llach. Barcelona. Books, Manuscripts and Collecting. 851 lots
Nye & Company Auctioneers. Bloomfield. Timed Backyard Auction - Books and Prints. 72 lots
FRAYSSE & Associés. Paris. Collection of Mr. X - Portulan map. 1 lots
Neal Auction Company. New Orleans. Animation Art - Online Only. 104 lots

Fri. Mar. 15th
Marc van de Wiele Auctions. Brugge. Spring Auction - Books and Prints. 1093 lots
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Chicago. The Adventure & Exploration Library of Steve Fossett, Part II. 292 lots

Sat. Mar. 16th
Clars Auction Gallery. Oakland. Fine Art - Prints. 137 lots
Vermot de Pas. Paris. Comic Strips, Original Boards, Japanese Animation. 615 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Signature Auction. 908 lots
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper.

Sun. Mar. 17th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 2/17. 176 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 3/10.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 3/10.
Clars Auction Gallery. Oakland. Fine Art - Prints. 54 lots

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