Auction Update Review

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Rare Book Hub: 41 Auctions Archived, another 43 Upcoming this Week

For the week ended Saturday 15 June 2019 41 auctions were archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 5 denominated in euros, 5 in British pounds, and 31 in US dollars.  Turnover was $15,419,497 as 9,973 lots were offered and 7,405 lots sold for a 74% success rate.  This is June for goodness sake and the turnover is extraordinary.

 

 

5 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Christies. Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts including Americana on June 12th: $3,478,750 
Heritage Auctions. Comic Art on June 8th: $2,401,007 
Sothebys. Important Manuscripts, Continental Books and Music on June 11th: $1,954,370 
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts on June 13th: $1,249,947 
Christies. Summa de Arithmetica: The Birth of Modern Business on June 12th: $1,215,000 

 


2 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered: 

Christies. Write Me and Tell Me Your Heart: Leonard Cohen's Letters to Marianne - online bidstart 6/5 on June 13th: 203.43% 
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts on June 13th: 105.17% 


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

National Book Auctions. Atlases, Americana, Signatures, Morley, Firsts, etc. on June 9th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 6/4 on June 11th: 100.00% 
Aspire Auctions. May Online - Prints, Books - Bidstart 5/31 on June 8th: 100.00% 
Christies. Write Me and Tell Me Your Heart: Leonard Cohen's Letters to Marianne - online bidstart 6/5 on June 13th: 100.00% 
Christies. Summa de Arithmetica: The Birth of Modern Business on June 12th: 100.00% 
Alaska Auction. Prints, Books on June 5th: 100.00% 
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Joseph Beuys: Prints and Multiples on June 7th: 100.00% 
Alaska Auction. Posters and Advertisements, Prints on May 22nd: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 5/12 on June 9th: 99.61% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 6/2 on June 9th: 99.53% 
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 6/4 on June 11th: 98.74% 
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 6/2 on June 9th: 95.40% 
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. 20th Century Contemporary and Modern Art - Prints on June 8th: 93.66% 
Heritage Auctions. Comic Art on June 8th: 93.59% 
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on June 6th: 91.63% 
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on June 8th: 91.06% 
Skinner. Gentleman's Sale - Prints on June 7th: 90.91% 
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Prints on June 8th: 89.80% 
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts on June 13th: 84.54% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on June 11th: 84.06%

 

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Christies Somma di arithmetica, geometria, proporzioni e proporzionalità. . on June 12th Actual price: USD $1,215,000.
  2. Heritage Auctions HERGÉ (1907-1983) Les Aventures de Tintin, Tome 1 Tintin au Pays de Soviets on June 8th Actual price: USD $1,125,000.
  3. Sothebys MAO ZEDONG Calligraphic autograph letter signed, to the journalist Yang Yi, 17 August [c.1947-1949] on June 11th Actual price: USD $659,130.
  4. Bonhams On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, on June 13th Actual price: USD $500,075.
  5. Christies Galley proof signed ("Francis Crick" and "James D. Watson") with two annotations. "Molecular structure of nucleic acids: A structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid." Nature 171 (1953): 737-738. One galley page, 570 x 153mm (repaired at fold, old pin holes on June 12th Actual price: USD $350,000.
  6. Christies An 18k gold key-wound quarter repeating open-face pocket watch with metal guilloche dial Roman hour markers and spade hands. on June 12th Actual price: USD $250,000.
  7. Arader Galleries A New Map of the Western Parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina. on June 8th Actual price: USD $237,500.
  8. Sothebys Opera, in Latin on June 11th Actual price: USD $190,500.
  9. Christies Voyage dans l’intérieur de l’Amérique du Nord executé pendant les années 1832, 1833, et 1834. on June 12th Actual price: USD $187,500.
  10. Sothebys DAVID JOSEF BACH (1874-1947) Important collection of autograph manuscript quotations and artistic tributes to David Bach by Bartók, Berg, Schoenberg, Strauss, Webern, Hoffmann, Kokoschka, Moll, Hofmansthal, Schnitzler, Zweig and others, Vienna, 13 August on June 11th Actual price: USD $127,000.
  11. Christies Letter signed ("B. Franklin") to Henry Home, Lord Kames ("My Dear Lord"), London 11 April 1767. Seven pages, 325 x 203mm, with the date additionally in Franklin's hand (fold separations neatly repaired, lightly toned in spots). on June 12th Actual price: USD $106,250.
  12. Christies Autograph letter signed ("Go: Washington") as President to Major General Daniel Morgan (1736-1802), Carlisle, [Pennsylvania] 8 October 1794. on June 12th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  13. Christies Ichthyologie, ou Histoire naturelle, generale et particuliere des poissons. on June 12th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  14. Christies Autograph letter signed ("A. Einstein") to Paul Epstein, Princeton, n.d., but before November 1945. on June 12th Actual price: USD $93,750.
  15. Heritage Auctions Moebius Le Garage Hermétique de Jerry Cornelius Planche 125 (Métal Hurlant, 1976-1978). on June 8th Actual price: USD $87,500.
  16. Christies Autograph letter to John Page, Philadelphia, 30 July 1776. on June 12th Actual price: USD $85,000.
  17. Sothebys Discours de la methode pour bien conduire sa raison, & chercher la verité dans les sciences. on June 11th Actual price: USD $82,550.
  18. Arader Galleries Wild Turkey, Female, Plate 6. on June 8th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  19. Christies Autograph letter signed ("A. Lincoln") as President, to Major General John Charles Frémont, Washington, 21 December 1861. on June 12th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  20. Christies Autograph letter signed ("A. Einstein") to Paul Epstein, Princeton, 8 November 1945. on June 12th Actual price: USD $81,250.
  21. Christies REVOLUTIONARY WAR – The Uniform of the Several Regiments of Foot in his Majesty’s Service on June 12th Actual price: USD $75,000.
  22. Christies Autograph letter signed twice ("Samuel L. Clemens" and "S.L.C."), including an autograph post-script signed from Livy L. Clemens ("Livy L. Clemens"), to Dr John Brown, Quarry Farm, near Elmira, New York, 4 September 1874. on June 12th Actual price: USD $75,000.
  23. Christies Autograph letter signed ("J. Adams") to Benjamin Rush, Quincy, 23 June 1807. on June 12th Actual price: USD $75,000.
  24. Arader Galleries John James Audubon (1785 - 1851). on June 8th Actual price: USD $62,500.
  25. Arader Galleries Mapa de los Estados Unidos de Méjico... on June 8th Actual price: USD $60,000.



41 total sales reported this week:

National Book Auctions. Atlases, Americana, Signatures, Morley, Firsts, etc. on June 9th: 100.00%
Sothebys. Important Manuscripts, Continental Books and Music on June 11th: 69.40%
PBA Galleries. Lenny Bruce and the Post-War Counterculture on June 13th: 64.85%
Bonhams. Fine Books and Manuscripts on June 13th: 84.54%
Skinner. Americana Online - Bidstart 6/4 on June 13th: 75.00%
RR Auction. Fine Autographs & Artifacts - Featuring Science and Technology-Online bidstart 5/24 on June 12th: 57.22%
Aspire Auctions. May Online - Prints, Books - Bidstart 5/31 on June 8th: 100.00%
Doyle New York. Photographs on June 13th: 73.68%
PosterConnection Inc.. Posters on June 8th: 47.95%
Christies. Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts including Americana on June 12th: 66.81%
Christies. Write Me and Tell Me Your Heart: Leonard Cohen's Letters to Marianne - online bidstart 6/5 on June 13th: 100.00%
Christies. Summa de Arithmetica: The Birth of Modern Business on June 12th: 100.00%
Bonhams. Entertainment Memorabilia on June 12th: 53.21%
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Prints on June 8th: 89.80%
PosterConnection Inc.. Spring Sale - Affordable Posters on April 16th: 42.48%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on June 11th: 84.06%
AntiquarianAuctions.com. Books - Internet Bidstart 5/30 on June 6th: 35.91%
Winter Associates. 18th-20th Century Prints on June 10th: 75.00%
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. 20th Century Contemporary and Modern Art - Prints on June 8th: 93.66%
Stair Auctioneers and Appraisers. Joseph Beuys: Prints and Multiples on June 7th: 100.00%
Michaans Auctions. Gallery Auction - Books, Prints, Photographs on June 8th: 48.21%
ALDE. Autograph Letters and Manuscripts on June 7th: 51.17%
Brunk Auctions. Photography Online on June 6th: 49.02%
Alaska Auction. Prints, Books on June 6th: 71.11%
Alaska Auction. Posters and Advertisements, Prints on May 22nd: 100.00%
Alaska Auction. Prints, Books on June 5th: 100.00%
Skinner. Gentleman's Sale - Prints on June 7th: 90.91%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper on June 6th: 91.63%
De Baecque and Associes. Library of Monsieur L. and others - Illustrated books of the twentieth century - Regionalism - Old b on June 5th: 73.39%
De Baecque and Associes. Library of Monsieur L. and others - Illustrated books of the twentieth century - Regionalism - Old b on June 6th: 68.67%
Pandolfini. Books, Manuscripts and Autographs on May 30th: 69.92%
Heritage Auctions. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 6/4 on June 11th: 100.00%
Chiswick Auctions. Autographs and Memorabilia on May 30th: 61.65%
Chiswick Auctions. Books and Works on Paper on May 29th: 61.56%
Heritage Auctions. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 6/4 on June 11th: 98.74%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on June 8th: 91.06%
Arader Galleries. June Auction - Audubon Prints, etc. on June 8th: 48.17%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 5/12 on June 9th: 99.61%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 6/2 on June 9th: 95.40%
Heritage Auctions. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 6/2 on June 9th: 99.53%
Heritage Auctions. Comic Art on June 8th: 93.59%

 

For the week ahead 43 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Jun. 17th
ALDE. Paris. Ancient and 19th Century Books. 441 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 71 lots

Tue. Jun. 18th
Doyle New York. New York. Travel and Sports in Africa: The Library of Arnold "Jake" Johnson. 400 lots
Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers. Kilkenny. Rare Book and Literature Sale. 648 lots
Sothebys. Paris. Books and Manuscripts. 194 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Tuesday Internet Currency Auction - bidstart 6/11. 425 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Weekly World Currency Internet Auction - Online bidstart 6/11. 187 lots
Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. BOOKS OF PHOTOGRAPHY, ART AND MOTORSPORTS FROM THE COLLECTION OF ING. DON LORENZO ZAMBRANO. 396 lots
Potomack Company. Alexandria. Japanese Print Collection. 53 lots
Robert Siegel Galleries. New York. Worldwide Postal History. 1155 lots
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Books and Manuscripts. 159 lots

Wed. Jun. 19th
Lyon and Turnbull. Edinburgh. Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps and Photographs. 474 lots
Artcurial. Paris. Books and Manuscripts. 214 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Printed Books, Maps and Documents. 477 lots
Purcell Auctioneers. Birr. Antiques and Collectables -Books and Prints. 93 lots
Christies. Paris. Icons of Glamour and Style : The Constantiner Collection. 92 lots
Freemans. Philadelphia. The Collection of Victor Niederhoffer. 54 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Monthly Photographs Online - bidstart 5/29. 83 lots
Artcurial. Paris. Andre Malraux's Intimate Collection - books, manuscripts, prints. 29 lots

Thu. Jun. 20th
Swann Galleries. New York. The Pride Sale. 275 lots
Minerva Auctions Roma. Roma. Finarte Sale - Books, Autographs and Prints. 507 lots
Forum Auctions. London. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper. 269 lots
Dominic Winter Book Auctions. Gloucestershire. Modern Literature & First Editions, Children's, Private Press & Illustrated Books. 294 lots
Audap and Mirabaud. PARIS. Posters. 885 lots
Freemans. Philadelphia. Books, Maps and Manuscripts. 516 lots
RR Auction. Amherst. Apollo 11: 50th Anniversary - Online bidstart 6/13. 555 lots
Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. Graphic Art - Prints. 259 lots
Kestenbaum and Company. New York. Fine Judaica. 178 lots

Fri. Jun. 21st
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. American History: Premier Auction. 354 lots
Jeschke van Vliet Auctions Berlin GmbH. Berlin-Schoneberg. Modern and Contemporary Art - Prints and Photographs. 429 lots
Sothebys. New York. Books and Manuscripts Online - bidstart 6/7. 263 lots
Dirk Soulis Auctions. Lee's Summit . 21st Annual Spring Fine Art Auction With Historical American Prints. 95 lots
Forum Auctions. London. Artsy - Color Theory. 72 lots
Audap and Mirabaud. PARIS. Posters - Day 2. 791 lots

Sat. Jun. 22nd
Neal Auction Company. New Orleans. Summer Estates Auction. 13 lots
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper. 176 lots
Vermot de Pas. Paris. Comic Strips and Original Boards. 259 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. The David and Janice Frent Collection of Presidential & Political Americana, Part V. 542 lots

Sun. Jun. 23rd
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Comics - bidstart 6/16.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Movie Posters - bidstart 6/16.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sunday Internet Sports Collectibles - Internet bidstart 5/26. 287 lots
National Book Auctions. Ithaca. Civil War, Americana, Signatures, Firsts. 152 lots
Neal Auction Company. New Orleans. Summer Estates Auction. 37 lots

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