For the week ending Saturday July 21^st 11 auctions were archived to the AED:  2 in British pounds, 4 in US dollars and 5 in Euros.  Three thousand six hundred and sixteen lots were offered and 2,660 lots sold for a 74% success rate.  Turnover was barely a million dollars, $1,076,683, and not bad at that.  This is a portion of summer that many have thought could not support books, manuscript, maps and ephemera auctions.  Both advocates and naysayers are probably right but experience is coming down on the side of those expanding the auction season into, and eventually, through summer, eventually creating a single uninterrupted market that undulates but never stops.   Simply, there is too much to sell and not enough time within the traditional 9 month season to sell it.

Three sales reached 100% of their aggregate high estimates:

Ferraton.  Antiquarian and Modern Books on June 22^nd:  122%

Dominic Winter Book Auctions.  Old Master and Modern Prints on July 18^th:  107%

Ferraton.  Antiquarian and Modern Books, Day 2 on June 23^rd:  103%

Given the difficulties of selling into the deep summer its appropriate to mention the Freeman sale that almost reached one hundred percent:

Freeman’s.  Books on July 17^th:  98%

No sales breached the one million dollar level.

Four sales saw 80% or more of their lots sell:

Freeman’s.  Books on July 17^th:  96%

Heritage Auctions.  Rare Book internet sale ended July 19^th:  94%

Ferraton.  Antiquarian and Modern Books, Day 2, on June 23^rd:  83%

Ferraton.  Antiquarian and Modern Books, Day 1, on June 22^nd:  81%

For the week ahead 16 sales are scheduled:

Tuesday July 24^th Heritage Auctions.  Music and Entertainment Memorabilia ending July 26^th [7058].  268 lots

Wed. July 25^th Bonhams.  The Olympic Games [19618].  112 lots

                                    Christie’s.  Prints and Multiples [2574].  338 lots                        

                                    Dominic Winter.  Printed Books, Maps and Documents [S332].  625 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Vintage Movie Posters.  Online bidding ending July 26^th [7060].  1,314 lots

Thursday July 26^th    AntiquarianAuctions.com.  Books ending July 26^th [20].  267 lots

                                    Dominic Winter.  Part II:  Medical Books, Pamphlets & Manuscript [S331].  367 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Vintage Comic and Comic Art Signature [7063].  2,637 lots

                                    Heritage Auctions.  Rare Books internet auction ending July 26^th [201230].  405 lots

                                    Keys Fine Arts.  Books [1015].  649 lots

                                    Leslie Hindman.  Prints [222].  42 lots

Friday July 27^th         Heritage Auctions.  Vintage Comic and Comic Art Signature [7063].  2,637 lots

                                    Keys Fine Arts.  Books [1016].  161 lots

Saturday July 28^th     Morton Casa de Subastas.  Books, Documents and Prints [638].  346 lots

Sunday July 29^th       Bonhams.  Period Art and Design [20031].  167 lots

                                    National Book Auctions.  Books and Ephemera – Photography, Fortune, Antique,… [07292012].  250 lots

With 16 sales upcoming this is a busy week.

Bruce McKinney

AE

July 22^nd, 2012