For the week ending Saturday April 21^st 18 auctions were archived in the AED.  Three sales were denominated in euros, 5 in pounds, and 10 in US dollars.  Four thousand eight hundred and twenty-five lots were offered and 3,769 sold for an 78% success rate, a sale rate that is unusual and suggests reserves are low and estimates appealing.   Often the highest prices are realized in such an environment.  Total sales were $15,341,007 or 117% of the aggregate high estimate of all lots offered:  $13,093,563.  Sotheby’s sale of the Library of Jacques Levy provided the best overall outcome - $6,415,964 followed by Swann’s sale of Revolutionary Americana from the Allyn Kellogg Ford Collection - $2,084,030, and Bonhams sale of Grosvenor School Prints - $1,881,383.

For the week five sales reached or exceeded 100% of their aggregate high estimates:

Christie’s “Comte and Comtesse Niel.  Une passion partagee” On April 16th:  237%

Swann’s “Revolutionary Americana from the Allyn Kellogg Collection” on April 17th:  165%

Sotheby’s “Library of Jacques Levy” on April 20th:  165%        

Christie’s “Prints” on April 17th:  148%

Dominic Winter’s Birmingham Medical Institute – Books from 1500 to 1900:  131%

For the week ahead 28 sales are scheduled in what is a busy week:

Monday April 23^rd Bonhams.  United States and Foreign Stamps and Postal History (19476)

                                    Doyle New York.  Books, Photographs and Prints (42312)

                                    Neret – Minet & Tessier.  Posters (12700)

Tuesday April 24^th    Christie’s.  Prints and Multiples (2548)

                                    Henri Godts Books & Prints Auctions.  Books from the 16^th to the 20^th Century (18144)

                                    Mealy’s Auctioneer’s.  The Gentleman’s Library (042412)

Wed. April 25^th          Christie’s.  Prints and Multiples (2548)

                                    Christie’s.  Travel, Science and Natural History (4826)

                                    Mealy’s Auctioneers.  Ireland’s Struggle (42512)

                                    Swann’s Galleries.  Old Master Through Modern Prints (2277)

Thurs.  April 26^th       Antiquarian Auctions.  Rare Books – Online bidstart 4/26 – 5/3

                                    Bloomsbury Auctions.  Duncan Campbell Collection (35911)

                                    Bonhams.  Space History (19632)

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books Internet ending 4/26 (201217)

                                    PBA Galleries.  Fine Americana – Travel & Exploration – Cartography (478)

                                    Sotheby’s.  Prints (NO8849)

Friday April 27^th        Bloomsbury Auctions.  Bibliophile (35903)

                                    Gonelli Casa d’Aste.  Rare Books and Manuscripts (8)

                                    Sotheby’s.  Prints (NO8849)

Saturday April 28^th   Dirk Soulis.  Landmark Liquidation of Spivey’s Rare Books and Maps  (42812)

                                    Gonnelli Casa d’Aste.  Books (9)

                                    Knotty Pine.  Antique and Estate Books (42812)

                                    Morton Casa de Subastas.  Documents, Prints and Books (630)

Sunday April 29^th      Bonhams.  Books and Manuscripts (19992)

                                    Dirk Soulis.  Mid West Art – Prints (42912)

Good material is selling well and the field is talking recovery.

Bruce McKinney

AE

April 22^nd, 2012