One week the auction market is progressing, albeit a bit uncertainly, and the next it’s jittery.  Around the United States folks are sitting-in and calling for jobs, European leaders are playing dodge ball with disaster, the mainland Chinese are acknowledging inflation, the heir apparent in Saudi Arabia slipped off the mortal coil, and the Khadaffi regime went kaput.  In this light the fact that some old books aren’t bringing what their owners expected is hardly unexpected.  Stock markets now regularly surge and collapse while talking heads deliver gibberish that wears thin within the day.   Book collectors are altogether a steady lot but can’t help but be affected by the gun-fire that seems to be pinging ever closer.  If there is truth to the saying it is always darkest before the dawn we can expect sunrise shortly.  In the mean time the sales, long committed and scheduled soldier on and those who stayed away can only feel regret for the opportunities missed.  The rule:  it is always good to buy when few others are willing – is still the rule.

For the week seventeen sales were archived, one in British Pounds and eight each in Dollars and Euros.  Turnover was $8,922,807 against the aggregate high estimate of $14,965,698.  Some weeks turnover approaches 100% of the aggregate high estimate.  This week it was 59.6%, a decidedly off week.  The weakness was at the top and we know this because the percentage of lots sold wasn’t bad – 72.6%.   When the percentage of lots sold is in the normal range [70-75%] and the total of all sales well off the high estimate – the weakness is at the top.

This week 7 sales reached or exceeded 100% of their aggregate high estimate:

Henri Godts.  Books from the 16^th to 20^th Centuries on 10/11:  335%;

Ader.  Sylvain Laboureur Succession:  Prints, Drawings, Modern Paintings, Books… on 10/12:  179%;

Marc van de Wiele Auctions.  Military Cartography on 10/1:  144%;

Bloomsbury Auctions.  Books from the RIKS Library on 10/20:  121%

Kapandji Morhange.  Books and Manuscripts on 10/19:  115%;

Bonhams.  SoMa Estate Books on 10/16:  104%

Swann Galleries.  Early Printed Medical and Scientific Books on 10/17:  100%

For the week ahead 15 sales are scheduled:

October 24^th  Dorotheum:  Books and Decorative Prints [102411]

October 25^th  Bonhams:  Prints [19353]

                        Christie’s:  Prints and Multiples [2475]

October 26^th  Christie’s:  Prints and Multiples [2475]

                        Swann Galleries:  Old Master through Modern Prints (2258)

October 27^th  Ketterer Kunst / F. Doerling:  Classic Masters [382]

                        Sotheby’s:  Prints [NO8786]

                        Antiquanian Auctions.co.za:  Books (14a)

                        Swann Galleries: Old Master through Modern Prints … continues (2258)

October 28^th  Alde:  Library of Lord Straboigi

                        Piasa:  Ancient, Modern and Contemporary Photographs [102811]

                        Sotheby’s:  Prints [NO8786]

October 29^th  Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F. Tajan:  Comic Strips [2002]

                        Knotty Pint Auctions:  Antique & Estate Books (102911)

October 30^th  Bonhams:  Books and Manuscripts [19406]

Here is a link to the AE Auctions Calendar:  15 sales are scheduled.