PreviousNext

Auction Update Review

Click for slideshow.

Click for slideshow.

Rare Book Hub: 31 Auctions Archived, another 34 Upcoming this Week

For the week ended Friday, 13 March 2020, 31 auctions have been archived to the Rare Book Hub Transaction Database; 12 denominated in euros, 1 in Columbian pesos, 2 in British pounds, and 16 in US dollars.  Turnover was $19,760,043 as 8,704 lots were offered and 7,494 sold for an 86% rate of success.

For the week ahead 34 sales are scheduled.

 

In the coming months the number of auctions are likely to be slower than usual as some have already been postponed.

 

With the coronavirus afoot, trade shows and the already much diminished walk-in retail sector will further decline.  Doubly hard hit, the collectible paper category that relies principally on men from ages 50 to 80, may well seem besieged, because men in these age categories are more vulnerable than women.

 

We have much to hope for.

 

3 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Heritage Auctions. Comics on March 7th: $10,760,781 
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 2 on March 11th: $1,918,266 
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 1 on March 10th: $1,094,918 

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

JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 2 on March 11th: 179.88% 
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 1 on March 10th: 155.69% 
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 2/28 on March 6th: 140.70% 
Bogota Auction. Rare Books on February 19th: 117.73% 
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: The Erwin Tomash Library on the History of Computing: the residual part on March 12th: 102.56% 
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 3/3 on March 10th: 101.52% 
Catawiki B. V.. Autographs and Manuscripts - Internet bidstart 2/21 on March 1st: 100.41% 
Bonhams. Medical and Scientific Library of Bruce Fye - Part III - Online bidstart 3/1 on March 11th: 100.33% 


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

Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 3/3 on March 10th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 2/23 on March 8th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. U.S. Currency Weekly - Internet Bidstart 3/3 on March 10th: 99.64% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics on March 7th: 99.41% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online on March 9th: 99.03% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters Weekly on March 8th: 96.07% 
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 2/28 on March 6th: 90.00% 
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on March 7th: 88.50% 
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 1 on March 10th: 88.33% 
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples Online - bidstart 3/4 on March 12th: 88.06% 
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 2 on March 11th: 87.64% 
Bonhams. Fine Books, Atlases, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs on March 11th: 85.90% 
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on March 10th: 83.50% 
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: The Erwin Tomash Library on the History of Computing: the residual part on March 12th: 82.88% 
Bonhams. Medical and Scientific Library of Bruce Fye - Part III - Online bidstart 3/1 on March 11th: 81.31% 

 

Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Heritage Auctions Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel, 1962) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $795,000.
  2. Heritage Auctions Nintendo Play Station Super NES CD-ROM Prototype - Sony and Nintendo c. 1992. on March 7th Actual price: USD $360,000.
  3. Heritage Auctions John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man #51 Cover Kingpin Original Art (Marvel, 1967). on March 7th Actual price: USD $312,000.
  4. Heritage Auctions Superman #1 (DC, 1939) CGC VG- 3.5 Off-white to white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $288,000.
  5. Christies On a Clear Day on March 6th Actual price: USD $212,500.
  6. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenhändiges Musikmanuskript. (Bologna, Juli/ August 1770, oder Salzburg, aus späterer Zeit.) on March 11th Actual price: USD $187,479.
  7. Heritage Auctions Captain America Comics #1 (Timely, 1941) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Off-white to white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $186,000.
  8. Heritage Auctions Winsor McCay Little Nemo in Slumberland Sunday Comic Strip Original Art dated 9-6-08 (New York Herald, 1908). on March 7th Actual price: USD $168,000.
  9. Heritage Auctions John Romita Sr. Hero for Hire #1 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1972). on March 7th Actual price: USD $156,000.
  10. Bonhams Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on March 11th Actual price: USD $155,006.
  11. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenh. Musikmanuskript, mehrfach signiert „RW. (Zürich, Mitte Dezember 1857.) on March 11th Actual price: USD $129,793.
  12. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenh. Musikmanuskript. on March 11th Actual price: USD $122,582.
  13. Heritage Auctions Batman #1 (DC, 1940) CGC VG 4.0 Off-white to white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $117,000.
  14. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenh. Musikmanuskript mit (getilgter) Widmung m. U. „Dein RW. am rechten Rand. (Venedig, Februar 1859.) on March 11th Actual price: USD $115,371.
  15. Heritage Auctions Bill Watterson Calvin and Hobbes Daily Comic Strip Original Art dated 2-6-87 (United Feature Syndicate, 1987). on March 7th Actual price: USD $102,000.
  16. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenhändiger Brief m. U. „F. Chopin. Nohant 9.X.1845. on March 11th Actual price: USD $100,950.
  17. Sothebys GRACE KELLY (FELDMAN & SCHELLMAN II.305) on March 12th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  18. Sothebys REVERIE (CORLETT 38) on March 12th Actual price: USD $100,000.
  19. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenh. Zusatz auf der Innenseite des Umschlags zu einem Brief seiner Mutter Anna Maria Mozart geb. Pertl an seinen Vater Leopold Mozart vom gleichen Tag (Augsburg 14.X.1777). on March 11th Actual price: USD $93,739.
  20. Heritage Auctions Superman #1 (DC, 1939) CGC FR/GD 1.5 Cream to off-white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $90,000.
  21. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenhändiger Brief m. U. „FChopin. Nohant 15.X.1843. on March 11th Actual price: USD $86,529.
  22. Heritage Auctions John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man #72 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1969). on March 7th Actual price: USD $84,000.
  23. Heritage Auctions Amazing Fantasy #15 (Marvel, 1962) CGC FN/VF 7.0 Cream to off-white pages. on March 7th Actual price: USD $81,000.
  24. JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung Eigenhändiges musikalisches Albumblatt mit Widmung u. U. am Schluss. Paris o. D. on March 11th Actual price: USD $79,318.
  25. Swann Galleries Noticia estraordinaria, viva la patria y el ejercito mexicano. on March 10th Actual price: USD $75,000.



31 total sales reported this week:

Christies. Domberger: 65 Years of Screenprinting - Online bidstart 2/28 on March 6th: 51.47%
Sothebys. Prints and Multiples Online - bidstart 3/4 on March 12th: 88.06%
PIASA. Editions on March 12th: 41.57%
Forum Auctions. Online Sale: The Erwin Tomash Library on the History of Computing: the residual part on March 12th: 82.88%
Heritage Auctions. U.S. Currency Weekly - Internet Bidstart 3/3 on March 10th: 99.64%
Heritage Auctions. Photographs Monthly Online Auction on March 11th: 71.31%
Nye & Company Auctioneers. Pop Up Fine Art Auction on March 11th: 56.67%
Bonhams. Medical and Scientific Library of Bruce Fye - Part III - Online bidstart 3/1 on March 11th: 81.31%
Winner's Auctions Ltd. Special Auction on March 3rd: 70.54%
Rossini. COLLECTIONS: ADVERTISING ART - AUTOMOBILIA - AVIATION - SHIPPING AND RAILWAYS - CALCULATING MACHINES on March 10th: 46.82%
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 2 on March 11th: 87.64%
JA Stargardt Autographenhandlung. Autographs - Day 1 on March 10th: 88.33%
PBA Galleries. Rare Photography: The Robert Enteen Collection. With Illustration & Fine Books on March 5th: 64.35%
Bruun Rasmussen. Prints on March 10th: 83.50%
Bonhams. Fine Books, Atlases, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs on March 11th: 85.90%
Swann Galleries. Printed and Manuscript Americana on March 10th: 77.84%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 3/3 on March 10th: 100.00%
ALDE. Ancient and 19th Century Books on March 10th: 67.78%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 2/28 on March 6th: 90.00%
Catawiki B. V.. Art and Photography - Online bidstart 2/28 on March 6th: 44.83%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 2/21 on March 3rd: 79.41%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 2/21 on March 2nd: 73.33%
Catawiki B. V.. Autographs and Manuscripts - Internet bidstart 2/21 on March 1st: 78.79%
Heritage Auctions. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 2/23 on March 8th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online on March 9th: 99.03%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters Weekly on March 8th: 96.07%
Bogota Auction. Rare Books on February 19th: 73.60%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on March 7th: 88.50%
Michaans Auctions. March Gallery Auction - Prints, Books on March 7th: 78.57%
Tessier & Sarrou and Associates. Posters on March 5th: 72.07%
Heritage Auctions. Comics on March 7th: 99.41%


For the week ahead 34 sales are scheduled:

Mon. Mar. 16th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 66 lots
Cowans Auctions. Cincinnati. Historic Photography. 204 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - Internet bidstart 3/6. 66 lots

Tue. Mar. 17th
Finarte. Milan. Photographs. 254 lots
Tooveys. West Sussex. Antiquarian and Collectors' Books. 221 lots
Sothebys. London. Made in Britain. 108 lots
William H. Bunch Auctions and Appraisals. Chadds Ford, PA . Eclectic Variety - Books, Prints. 23 lots
Morton Subastas. México DF CP 11000. The Backal Collection and Library. 250 lots
Kestenbaum and Company. Brooklyn. K2 Online Sale: Judaic Books and Manuscripts. 226 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. US Currency Weekly Online - Bidstart 3/10. 754 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 3/10. 167 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - Internet bidstart 3/6. 28 lots

Wed. Mar. 18th
Christies. London - King Street. Prints and Multiples. 205 lots
Artcurial. Paris. Prints and Multiples. 130 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - Internet bidstart 3/6. 130 lots

Thu. Mar. 19th
Over & Above Online Auction and Estate Sales, LLC. Timonium. The World War II Library of John R. Elliot. 471 lots
Sothebys. London. Prints and Multiples.
Bearnes Hampton and Littlewood. Exeter. Books, Maps and Prints.
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Art & Archaeology of Asia - Travel & Exploration. 319 lots
Thomson Roddick Auctioneers & Valuers. Carlisle. Antiquarian and Collectable Books Auction. 303 lots
Nye & Company Auctioneers. Bloomfield. Discovery in the Backyard Sale.
Rossini. Paris. Modern and Contemporary Art - Prints and Photographs. 9 lots

Fri. Mar. 20th
Arenberg Auctions. BRUSSEL. Books and Prints. 1040 lots
Binoche et Giquello. rue La Boetie, Paris. Antiquarian and Modern Books. 348 lots
Forum Auctions. London. Online Sale: The Partridge Fine Arts Research Library. 111 lots
Venator and Hanstein. Köln . Books - Prints - Autographs. 113 lots

Sat. Mar. 21st
Goldberg Coins and Collectibles. LOS ANGELES. The Collectibles Sales. 776 lots
Rachel Davis Fine Arts. Cleveland. Fine Art - Prints.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters. 816 lots
Venator and Hanstein. Köln . Modern and Contemporary Prints - Modern Books. 557 lots
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper.

Sun. Mar. 22nd
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters Weekly.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 3/8. 173 lots

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