Auction Update Review
Rare Book Hub: 21 Auctions Archived, another 20 Upcoming this Week
For the week ended Friday, 1st January 2021, 21 auctions were archived to Rare Book Hub’s Transactions+ Database; 6 denominated in euros, 1 in British pounds, and 14 in US dollars.
Turnover was $4,983,139 as 90% of all lots offered sold. Four thousand two hundred and sixty-seven were offered and 3,850 changed hands. The strength in the auction market has been remarkable. Covid-19 leaves us uncertain but for those who live and breath rare books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera we are living in the golden age. There’s been nothing like this before.
Best wishes for 2021!
1 auction saw total proceeds reach a million dollars [it's a late report]:
Christies. Classic Art Evening Sale: Antiquity to 20th Century on July 28th: $3,457,331
3 auctions saw total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale:
Christies. Classic Art Evening Sale: Antiquity to 20th Century on July 28th: 223.96%
Nadeau's Auction Gallery. New Year's Day Auction on January 1st: 144.69%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/22 on December 29th: 108.73%
16 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell:
Christies. Classic Art Evening Sale: Antiquity to 20th Century on July 28th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 12/13 on December 27th: 99.59%
Heritage Auctions. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online - bidstart 12/20 on December 28th: 99.25%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/22 on December 29th: 99.25%
Heritage Auctions. US Currency Weekly Online - Bidstart 12/22 on December 29th: 98.45%
Leland Little Auctions. New Years Day Sale on January 1st: 97.83%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters Weekly - Bidstart 12/20 on December 27th: 97.25%
Nadeau's Auction Gallery. New Year's Day Auction on January 1st: 96.43%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on December 26th: 96.00%
Heritage Auctions. The Conway Collection of Error Notes, Part I Currency Online Auction on December 30th: 95.65%
William H. Bunch Auctions and Appraisals. Eclectic Variety on December 29th: 93.33%
Stephenson's Auctioneers & Appraisers. Rock Concert Posters Session 2. From The Estate of Perry Pfeffer, founder of Postercade. on January 1st: 93.10%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - bidstart 12/11 on December 22nd: 89.58%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - bidstart 12/11 on December 23rd: 86.67%
William H. Bunch Auctions and Appraisals. Online Only Variety Auction on December 28th: 85.71%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - bidstart 12/11 on December 21st: 84.44%
21 total sales reported this week:
Stephenson's Auctioneers & Appraisers. Rock Concert Posters Session 2. From The Estate of Perry Pfeffer, founder of Postercade. on January 1st: 93.10%
Nadeau's Auction Gallery. New Year's Day Auction on January 1st: 96.43%
Leland Little Auctions. New Years Day Sale on January 1st: 97.83%
Christies. Classic Art Evening Sale: Antiquity to 20th Century on July 28th: 100.00%
Heritage Auctions. The Conway Collection of Error Notes, Part I Currency Online Auction on December 30th: 95.65%
William H. Bunch Auctions and Appraisals. Eclectic Variety on December 29th: 93.33%
Heritage Auctions. US Currency Weekly Online - Bidstart 12/22 on December 29th: 98.45%
Heritage Auctions. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/22 on December 29th: 99.25%
William H. Bunch Auctions and Appraisals. Online Only Variety Auction on December 28th: 85.71%
Soler Y Llach. Rare and Valuable Books on December 22nd: 24.86%
Heritage Auctions. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 12/13 on December 27th: 99.59%
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters Weekly - Bidstart 12/20 on December 27th: 97.25%
Heritage Auctions. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online - bidstart 12/20 on December 28th: 99.25%
One Of A Kind Collectibles. Rare Autographs and Books on December 17th: 79.84%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - bidstart 12/18 on December 25th: 79.35%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - bidstart 12/11 on December 23rd: 86.67%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - bidstart 12/11 on December 22nd: 89.58%
Catawiki B. V.. Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - bidstart 12/11 on December 21st: 84.44%
Catawiki B. V.. Autographs and Manuscripts - bidstart 12/11 on December 20th: 77.50%
Kedem Auctions Ltd.. Jewish and Israeli History, Art and Culture on December 22nd: 77.72%
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper on December 26th: 96.00%
For the week ahead 20 sales are scheduled:
Mon. Jan. 4th
Bruun Rasmussen. Copenhagen. Prints. 85 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1700) - bidstart 12/25. 88 lots
Tue. Jan. 5th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. US Currency Weekly Online - Bidstart 12/29. 557 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. World Currency Weekly - Internet bidstart 12/29. 152 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1600) - bidstart 12/25. 38 lots
Wed. Jan. 6th
De Baecque and Associes. Lyon. Stamps and Postcards. 131 lots
University Archives. Westport. Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, and Books. 440 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - bidstart 12/25. 114 lots
Alaska Auction. Anchorage. Online Only Auction. 57 lots
Thu. Jan. 7th
Forum Auctions. London. Online Sale: Books and Works on Paper. 266 lots
PBA Galleries. San Francisco. Fine Literature - Science Fiction and Mystery. 455 lots
Fri. Jan. 8th
Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Chicago. Chicago Collections. 26 lots
Eldreds. East Dennis,. Online Only: Winter Market. 25 lots
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Old and Rare Books (Pre-1800) - bidstart 1/1. 67 lots
Sat. Jan. 9th
Guernseys. New York, NY. Collector's Odyssey - Online. 240 lots
Trillium Antique Prints & Rare Books. Franklin. Fine Art - Antique Engravings & Lithographs - Works on Paper. 200 lots
Sun. Jan. 10th
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics, Animation, & Art Weekly Online - bidstart 1/3.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Sports Collectibles Weekly - Bidstart 12/27. 251 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters Weekly - Bidstart 1/3.
Catawiki B. V.. LA Assen, . Autographs and Manuscripts - bidstart 1/1. 32 lots
Bruce McKinney
RBH and AE
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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.
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Sotheby’s
Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
November 18, 2026Sotheby’s
Nelson, His Life and His Navy:
The Clive Richards Collection of Letters and Manuscripts
November 18, 2026Sotheby’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 NovemberForum, 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 - £50,000Forum, Nov. 19: Crescenzi (Bartolomeo). Nautica mediterranea, 2 parts in 1, second edition, with rare engraved folding map, Rome, Bartolomeo Bonfadino, 1607. £15,000 - £20,000Forum, Nov. 19: Aristotle. [The Works], 10 vol.,, translated by Thomas Taylor, Printed for the Translator... by Robert Wilks, 1807-12. £6,000-8,000Forum
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
Thursday 19th NovemberForum, 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]. £6,000-8,000Forum, Nov. 19: Vitruvius Pollio (Marcus). I Dieci Libri dell'Architettura, translated by Daniele Barbaro, Venice, Francesco Marcolini, 1556. £7,000-10,000Forum, Nov. 19: Rowling (J.K.) Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, first edition, hardback issue, first printing, Bloomsbury, 1997. £50,000-70,000Forum
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
Thursday 19th NovemberForum, 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. £15,000-20,000Forum, 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). £35,000-45,000Forum, 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. £15,000-20,000Forum
Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper
Thursday 19th NovemberForum, Nov. 19: Gersdorff (Hans von). Feldtbuch der Wund-Arzney, enlarged edition, Strassburg, Hans Schotten, 1540. £20,000-30,000Forum, 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. £8,000-12,000Forum, 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 - $17,000Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 63. The Largest of the Strada "Leo Belgicus" Editions (1632) Est. $3,250 - $4,000Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 71. Blaeu's Stunning Carte-a-Figures Map of the Americas (1640) Est. $4,000 - $4,750Old 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 - $6,000Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 172. 1775 Edition of the Landmark Fry-Jefferson Map of Virginia and Maryland (1775) Est. $12,000 - $15,000Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 46. Doppelmayr's Fine Celestial Chart (1742) Est. $800 - $950Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 212. First Edition Ski Country Map by Pioneer Hal Shelton (1965) Est. $500 - $700Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 732. Ruscelli's Complete Atlas with 69 Maps and Updated Maps of the Continents (1599) Est. $8,000 - $9,500Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 329. Ortelius' Map of Iceland Surrounded by Sea Monsters (1585) Est. $11,000 - $13,000Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 600. Heinrich Bunting's Rare Map of Asia in the Form of a Pegasus (1581) Est. $3,000 - $3,750Old World Auctions (Nov 11): Lot 716. Bible Leaf with Hand-Colored Image of the Adoration of the Magi (1490) Est. $2,000 - $2,300
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Ketterer Rare Books
Auction November 23Ketterer, Nov. 23: L. Feininger, Collection of autograph letters to Alois J. Schardt, 1920-1955. Est: € 150,000-250,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: Flemish book of hours, Ghent-Bruges School around 1480-1500. Est: € 40,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: F. de Wit, Atlas maior, um 1700. Est: € 50,000Ketterer Rare Books
Auction November 23Ketterer, Nov. 23: A. Stieglitz, Camera Work, 48 volumes, 1903-1914. Est: € 60,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Merian & M. Zeiller, Sämtliche Topographien, 21 volumes, 1642-1736. Est: € 50,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: R. Indiana and R. Creely, Numbers, 1968. Est: € 4,000Ketterer Rare Books
Auction November 23Ketterer, Nov. 23: Salerno Breviarium, Latin manuscript on vellum, North Italy around 1470-1476. Est: € 40,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. S. Merian, Surinaamsche (&) europische Insecten, 1730. Est: € 30,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: M. Beckmann, Jahrmarkt, Portfolio of 10 signed etchings, 1922. Est: € 25,000Ketterer Rare Books
Auction November 23Ketterer, Nov. 23: Justinianus, Infortiatum, 1475. Est: € 10,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: B. Besler, Hortus Eystettensis, um 1750. Est: € 28,000Ketterer, Nov. 23: J. Gris and P. Reverdy, Au soleil du plafond, 1955. Est: € 3,000

