For the week ending Saturday May 26^th 21 auctions were archived:  6 denominated in British pounds, six in US dollars, 8 in euros and 1 in New Zealand dollars.  Total sales were a mind boggling $35 million which is quickly explained by the inclusion of 9 lots from the Gunther Sachs Art Collection at Sotheby’s in London on May 23rd.  These 9 items, 20^th century paintings, brought $29.9 million.  The other 20 auctions raised $5.7 million as 8,409 lots were offered and 5,861 sold.  The bidding public prefers paint to ink.

For the week 11 of the 21 sales archived reached or exceeded 100% of their aggregate high estimates:

Ader.  Prints on April 11^th:  1,097% of their high estimate and explained by the fact some lots included the opportunity to buy additional copies.

Profiles in History.  Captain America on April 4^th:  The First Avenger:  366%

Webb’s.  The C. L. Thompson Collection on March 21^st:  208%

Rupert Toovey.  Photographs, Autographs, Printed and Manuscript Ephemera:  174%

Cottone.  Prints on March 24^th:  155%

Rupert Toovey.  Prints on March 21^st:  152%

Sotheby’s.  The Gunter Sachs Collection Day Auction on May 23^rd:  141%

Kapandji Morhange.  Collection of his Highness Royale Soltan Ali Mirza Qajar on April 19^th:  139%

Burgersdijk & Niermans.  Books, Manuscripts and Graphic Arts on May 15^th:  115%

Zisska & Schauer.  Books, [the second of three days] on May 10^th:  109%

Tajan.  Ancient and Modern Prints on May 16^th:  100%

For the week 1 sale reached or exceeded a million dollars:

Sotheby’s.  The Gunter Sachs Collection Day Auction:  $29,940,043 [for 9 specified lots]

For the week ahead 21 sales are scheduled:

Tuesday May 29^th Cowan’s Firearms Ephemera.  Ending today.  [315] 99 lots

Wed. May 30^th           Ader.  Judaica – School of Paris [19269] 183 lots

                                    Christie’s.  Origins of Golf:  The Jaime Ortiz-Patino Collection [6021] 157 lots

                                    Galerie Koller Auctions.  Books [19306].  70 items

Thurs. May 31^st         Freeman’s.  Books, Manuscripts and Ephemera [1431].  249 items

                                    Galerie Bassenge.  Prints [99j].  730 lots

                                    Hauff and Auvermann.  Rare  Books, Autographs and Engravings [67a].  690 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books Internet bidstart 5/25 [201222].  410 items

                                    Keys Fine Arts.  Books [1013].  754 lots

Friday June 1^st           Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F. Tajan.  Prints and Illustrated Books [19252].  384 lots

                                    Hauff and Auvermann.  Rare Books, Autographs and Engravings [67b].  1240 lots

                                    Keys Fine Arts.  Books Day 2 [1014].  170 items

                                    Pierre Berge & Associes.  Archeology [18439].  16 lots

Saturday June 2^nd  Artcurial Briest-Le Fur-Poulain-F. Tajan.  The Universe of the Creator of Tintin [19274].  412 items

                                    Galerias Louis C. Morton S.A. de C.V..  Antiquarian books, Historical documents, engravings
   and photographs [632].

                                    Hauff and Auvermann.  Modern Literature, Posters, Photographs [67c].  980 items

                                    Neret – Minet & Tessier.  Comic Strips [13349]

Sunday June 3^rd  Carlsen Gallery.  Books of English Architecture and Antiquities [60312].  59 items

                                    Hauff and Auvermann.  Modern and Contemporary Art [67d].  437 lots

                                    National Book Auctions.  Books and Ephemera – Champney, Modern 1^st’s, Nautical, etc [06032012]

The strong pace of sales continues.

Bruce McKinney

AE

May 27^th, 2012