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Auction Update Review

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19 Auctions Archived, 5 Upcoming

For the week ended Saturday 26 December 19 sales were archived to the RBH database; 8 denominated in euros and 11 in US dollars.  Sales were $21,558,344 as 11,835 lots were offered and 8,435 sold for a 71% success rate.

The fall sales have ended.

2 auctions saw their total proceeds reach a million dollars: 

Sothebys. The Valmadonna Trust Library: Part I Magnificent Manuscripts and the Bomberg Talmud on December 22nd: $14,868,000 
Sothebys. Important Judaica on December 22nd: $3,418,375 

2 auctions saw their total sales exceed 100% of the high estimates of all lots offered in the sale: 

Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions. Rare Books and Autographs on December 16th: 124.85% 
Bubb Kuyper. Modern Art: Prints and Drawings (part 1) on November 26th: 108.91% 

6 sales saw at least 80% of their lots sell: 

Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/13 on December 20th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Entertainment on December 19th: 99.28% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/13 on December 20th: 97.97% 
Heritage Auctions. The William E. Fredeman Victoriana Collection Rare Books Internet Auction on December 20th: 95.92% 
Holabird Kagin Americana. December Sale - Part 1 on December 12th: 93.42% 
Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/17 on December 24th: 92.14% 

19 total sales reported this week: 

Heritage Auctions. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/17 on December 24th: 92.14% 
Holabird Kagin Americana. Americana - Online Only on December 15th: 24.44% 
Holabird Kagin Americana. Western Americana Live Auction - session 2 on December 14th: 74.22% 
Holabird Kagin Americana. Western Americana Live Auction - session 1 on December 13th: 61.05% 
Holabird Kagin Americana. December Sale - Part 1 on December 12th: 93.42% 
Sothebys. Important Judaica on December 22nd: 70.89% 
Sothebys. The Valmadonna Trust Library: Part I Magnificent Manuscripts and the Bomberg Talmud on December 22nd: 75.00% 
Bubb Kuyper. Drawings, Old Master Prints, Maps and Plans on November 27th: 76.05% 
Bubb Kuyper. Modern Art (2), Photographs, Japanese Prints on November 26th: 69.68% 
Bubb Kuyper. Modern Art: Prints and Drawings (part 1) on November 26th: 69.58% 
Bubb Kuyper. Manuscripts, Old and Rare Books on November 25th: 67.75% 
Bubb Kuyper. Books: Varia, History, Natural History on November 25th: 60.87% 
Bubb Kuyper. Books: Fine Printing, Literature on November 24th: 65.71% 
Bubb Kuyper. Books: Bibliography, Arts, Children's Books on November 24th: 68.02% 
Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions. Rare Books and Autographs on December 16th: 71.34% 
Heritage Auctions. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/13 on December 20th: 100.00% 
Heritage Auctions. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/13 on December 20th: 97.97% 
Heritage Auctions. The William E. Fredeman Victoriana Collection Rare Books Internet Auction on December 20th: 95.92% 
Heritage Auctions. Entertainment on December 19th: 99.28% 

The Top 25 Lots Reported This Past Week.
  1. Sothebys The Complete Babylonian Talmud, Printed by Daniel Bomberg in Venice, Comprising tractates from the First (1519/20-1523) and Second (1525-1539) Editions on December 22nd Actual price: USD $9,322,000.
  2. Sothebys Hebrew Bible: Pentateuch with Haftarot and the Five Scrolls, England: 15 Tammuz 4949=2 July 1189 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $3,610,000.
  3. Sothebys Illuminated Hebrew Bible: Psalms, with Commentary by David Kimhi. Scribe: Shem-Tov ben Samuel Barukh [Bologna]: 1401 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $670,000.
  4. Sothebys Arba'ah Turim (Four Rows),  Jacob ben Asher, Soncino: Solomon ben Moses Soncino [1490] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $430,000.
  5. Sothebys An Important Illuminated Haggadah, [Calcutta, India]: 1868 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $418,000.
  6. Sothebys Grace after Meals (Seder Birkat Ha-Mazon), Vienna: 1737 [Scribe-Artist: Ze'ev Wolf Herlingen]<br> on December 22nd Actual price: USD $382,000.
  7. Sothebys Teshuvot She'elot (Responsa), Solomon ibn Adret, Rome: Obadiah, Manasseh and Benjamin [ca. 1469-73] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $346,000.
  8. Sothebys Hebrew Bible: Pentateuch with Masorah and Masoretic and Grammatical Introduction (Hamisha Humshei Torah with Mahberet ha-Tijan). Scribe: Benayah ben Sa'adyah ben Zechariah. Yemen: 1470 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $334,000.
  9. Sothebys SEFER TORAH (PENTATEUCH), MANUSCRIPT SCROLL ON PARCHMENT, ASHKENAZ:  CA.1270 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $310,000.
  10. Sothebys Zedah la-Derekh (Provisions for the Road), Joseph ben Azriel [ Zurich],  Scribe: Yehiel [Zurich: ca. 1426] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $280,000.
  11. Sothebys Perush ha-Torah (Commentary on the Pentateuch), Moses ben Nahman (Nahmanides), Rome: Obadiah, Manasseh and Benjamin of Rome [ca. 1469-73] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $200,000.
  12. Sothebys Decorated Hebrew Bible: (Pentateuch: Shemot-Devarim) Yemen: Early Fifteenth Century on December 22nd Actual price: USD $187,500.
  13. Sothebys The Earliest American Ketubbah (Jewish Marriage Contract), New York: 1751 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $187,500.
  14. Sothebys Samaritan Torah Scroll (Aktaba Kadisha), Land of Israel [ca. 1166, Scribe: Shalmah ben Abraham bar Yosef of Sarepta] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $162,500.
  15. Sothebys Sefer ha-Assufot (Halakhic Miscellany), Ashkenaz: ca. 1307 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $137,500.
  16. Sothebys Mishnayot ‘im Peirush le-ha-Rambam (Mishnah, with the Commentary of Maimonides), Moses ben Maimon (Maimonides), Naples: Joshua Solomon Soncino, 11 Iyar 5252 (8 May 1492) on December 22nd Actual price: USD $125,000.
  17. Sothebys Order of Blessings for Meals…Occasional Blessings…and the Order of Prayers for Women… (Seder Tikun Se'udah…Birkot ha-Nehenin…ve-Seder Nashim…) [Vienna or Dresden?, circa 1725] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $112,500.
  18. Sothebys Register of Internments, Isaac Leeser, Manuscript on Paper, Philadelphia: 1830-1858. Bound with: Sof Adam (The End of Man), Jacob de Meza, Amsterdam: 1827 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $112,500.
  19. Sothebys A Monumental Illuminated Micrographic Manuscript, Levi Van Gelder, [Chicago: ca. 1865] on December 22nd Actual price: USD $100,000.
  20. Sothebys Samaritan Pentateuch (Arhuta Kadishta), Land of Israel: late 14th–early 15th century<br> on December 22nd Actual price: USD $87,500.
  21. Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions Magnifico autografo musicale, 12 pagine in folio, con gli schizzi del più noto dei due quintetti composti da Dvoràk nella stessa tonalità, il Quintetto per pianoforte e archi in la maggiore op. 81 on December 16th Actual price: USD $68,125.
  22. Sothebys Tehillim (Psalms) with Commentary of David Kimhi, Italy [Bologna]: Joseph and Nerijah Hayyim, Mordecai and Hezekiah Montero, 29 August 1477 on December 22nd Actual price: USD $62,500.
  23. Bolaffi Ambassador Auctions [Raccolta di diverse vedute della città di Genova e delle principali sue parti e fabbriche. on December 16th Actual price: USD $61,313.
  24. Bubb Kuyper Toverspiegel. on November 26th Actual price: USD $50,767.
  25. Sothebys A Magnificient Illustrated Esther Scroll, (Prague: ca. 1700) on December 22nd Actual price: USD $43,750.


For the week ahead 5 sales are scheduled:

Thu. Dec. 31st
Tooveys. West Sussex. Prints. 35 lots
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Rare Books - Internet bidstart 12/24. 188 lots

Sun. Jan. 3rd
National Book Auctions. Ithaca. Books.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Comics - Internet bidstart 12/27.
Heritage Auctions. Dallas. Movie Posters - Internet bidstart 12/27.

Bruce McKinney

RBH and AE