28 August 2011

The Waning Days of Summer

In this the quietest of the quiet weeks dealers, institutions and collectors around the world are taking a well earned breather before the fall auction season begins as Labor Day ends.  For the week just past two sales were archived, a sale at Morton’s Casa de Subastas in Mexico and one at Cowan’s Auctions in Ohio.  The Morton sale saw only a quarter of the lots sell while for Cowan’s 96% changed hands.  Cowan’s was dispersing the Burchard Flat-Mount Stereoview Collection.

The recently updated “Trends in Book Auction Prices” suggest the market is flirting with higher prices.  In September the Eric Caren sale at Swann will provide early evidence of whether the market will continue to climb.  In October, the Robert H. and Donna L. Jackson Collection Part I, 19^th century literature sale, at Bonhams in New York will tell us even more.

For those perched on beach chairs and hoping for Indian summer the fall approaches and with it comes clarity on the field for the year ahead.

Bruce McKinney
AE
28 August 2011