During the week just passed we archived 18 sales.  This May will prove to be one of the busiest in the long history of auctions for the books, manuscripts, maps and ephemera fields.  As of today we have archived 67 sales and are covering 20 more that take place this week.  This increase in sales occurs even as eBay’s auctions of material in the field slow from a gallop to a trot as summer approaches. 

Sales Archived by Week in May

5/1     14

5/8     13

5/15   22

5/22   18

5/29   20 projected

The previous high number of sales archived in a single month was November 2009:  65.  Measured in Dollars the fall months remain the most important.

The auctions this week were robust – eighteen sales in the United States and Europe denominated by currency:  seven in Dollars, nine in Pounds, two in Euros.  Four thousand five hundred and nineteen lots were offered and 3,486 sold for a 77% sales rate.  These items had an aggregate high estimate of $14,586,632 and realized $12,485,867 or 86% of the high.

Five of these sales reached or exceeded 100% of their aggregate high estimates:

Alain & Evelyne Morel de Westgaver.  Postcards Entiers Postaux Prints & Books on May 14th:  166%;

Henri Godts.  Books from the XVIth to the XXth Centuries on May 17th:  142%;

Sotheby’s.  Books and Manuscripts on May 18th:  138%;

Christie’s.  Photographs on May 17^th:  115%;

Sotheby’s.  Copley – Lansing Notes on May 20^th:  100%

Bidders appear to be ignoring material that is over-estimated.

For the week ahead twenty sales are scheduled:

Monday May 23^rd:     Ketterer Kunst / D. Doerling:  Books, MSS, Prints [379a]

Ketterer Kunst / F. Doerling:  Rare Books, Manuscripts, Autographs, Prints [379b]

Tuesday May 24^th:    Bubb Kuyper:  Books, Prints, Photos [54a]

                                    Bubb Kuyper:  Books [54b]

Ketterer Kunst / F Doerling:  Rare Books, Manuscripts, Autographs, Prints [379b continued]

Wed’day May 25^th:   Bubb Kuyper:  Books [54c]

                                    Bubb Kuyper:  Books [54d]

                                    Kapandji Morhange:  Books and Photos [15948]

Thursday May 26^th:  Ader:  Heugel’s Collection [16084]

Bloomsbury Auctions:  Important Books and Manuscripts [35815]

Bubb Kuyper:  Maps, Prints [54e]

                                    Dorotheum:  Autographs [8869]

                                    Galerie Bassange:  Prints [97]

                                    Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers:  Books, Day 1 [883]

Friday May 27^th:        Bubb Kuyper:  Manuscripts, Autographs, Documents [54f]

                                    Bubb Kuyper:  Prints [54g]

                                    Galerie Koller Auctions:  Books, Prints [648]

Jeschke – van vliet Buch and Kunstauktionen GmbH:  Valuable and Rare Books [74]

Saturday May 28^th:   Adams Amsterdam:  Fine and Rare Books and Prints

It’s only spring but it already feels like a busy year.

Bruce McKinney

AE

May 22, 2011