For the week ended Saturday July 6^th 6 auctions were archived to the AED.  In America it’s been the week of July 4^th, in France it’s soon to be Bastille Day and in England it’s been all things Wimbledon.  No wonder the rooms have been quiet.  Nevertheless the auctions queue, material is hoisted and bidders’ paddles fly.  There’s no stopping what has become a 24/7/365 auction experience.   For the week 345 lots were offered and 219 sold. 

Sotheby’s sale of Western Manuscripts and Literature on July 2^nd was the only event to reach a million dollars:  $2,802,690, the only sale that saw its total sales exceed 100% of the total of its high estimates and the only sale to see more than 80% of its lots sell.

For the week ahead 16 events are scheduled:

Tues. July 9^th              Neret – Minet & Tessier.  Vintage Posters [16872].  540 lots

Wed. July 10^th                  Morton Casa de Subastas.  Books, Historical Documents, Prints and Photographs [676].  266 lots

                                              Rupert Toovey and Co.  Prints [1139].  63 lots

                                            Sothebys.  The Joseph Conrad Collection from the Library of the late Stanley J. Seeger
   – Part I [L13415].  193 lots

                                            Sothebys.  English Literature; Children’s Books and Illustrations [L13404].  180 lots

Thurs. July 11^th                  Heritage Auctions [HA.com].  Rare Books internet bidding ending today [201328].  241 lots

                                              Bloomsbury Auctions.  Books, Maps,, Works on Paper; including Travel and Natural
  History [36064].  658 lots

                                              PBA Galleries.  Rare Americana [510].  100 lots

Fri. July 12^th                      Jeschke – van vliet Book and Art Auctions Ltd.  Rare Books [93].  824 lots

                                            Bloomsbury Auctions.  Books, Maps,, Works on Paper; including Travel and Natural
  History [36064].  658 lots

                                              Keys Fine Arts Auctioneers.  Selected Quality Pictures – Prints [1127].  38 lots

                                            Skinner, Inc.  Prints [2663B].  16 lots

Sat. July 13^th                      Clars Auction Gallery.  Prints, Photographs [71313].  147 lots

                                              Neal Auction Company.  Prints [71313].  82 lots

Sun. July 14^th                  Clars Auction Gallery.  Prints, Photographs [71313].  147 lots

                                            Neal Auction Company.  Prints [71313].  82 lots

It was a quiet week but not so if you consigned or were bidding.  I recently bid on a manuscript map at Bonhams in New York.  I bid $12,000 on a lot that was estimated $3,000 to $5,000 and not only did not win, I wasn’t even the under bidder.  The lot brought $20,000 plus commission.  When the material is compelling there are fewer sleepers these days.

Bruce McKinney

AE