Cabinet June 1: "snow Queen" from the library of crown Prince Alexei in a million and other results of the first auction this summer
ARTinvestment.RU   08 июня 2017

Children's books and other rarities were sold by almost 60 % and brought in a total of more than six million rubles

First day of summer, the auction house "Cabinet" met 59-м in its history auction. The auction catalog, which includes 286 lots, was divided into two thematic part (two sessions), the first of which was presented a curious collection of 160 lots of rare children's books published in the period from 1856 to 1993, and the second — traditional "literary Fund" a set of rare books, autographs and prints of the XVIII–XX centuries

the Composition of bidders at this time, fully reflect the latest trends of the Moscow auction. Once again we can state that the auction audience gradually goes to the Internet: the ratio of virtual and on-site bidders June 1, very close to the figures 2:1. To monitor the progress of the auction in the hall at this time decided about two dozen people, while the number of online-игроков in peak times reached nearly four dozen. This is understandable: it is much more convenient to shop in the comfort of your own home without sacrificing a familiar routine and not risking imminent in the Moscow traffic jams.

, the ratio of full-time and online-участников reflected in the overall results of the auction. In less than two hours, the auction managed to sell for 56.6 % (162 of 286) lots totaling 6 021 600 rubles — 55,5 % of the average total estimate of the lots catalog. Nearly 40% of all sold (66 lots) was purchased by participants in the Internet, 30 lots went into the hall, 23 — on the phone, and 41 times the distance bet won.

the Greatest interest was, of course, the first session of the auction — and not without reason: among the top-лотов met here edition not only collectible, Museum level. What is the only book from the library Tsarevich Alexei — tale "the snow Queen" Г.-Х. Andersen, published in Moscow purveyor to His Majesty T-вом of Skorobogaty A. A. Levenson in 1904 is not for sale in 10 copies with the bookplate of His Imperial Highness Tsarevich and Grand Duke Alexei Nikolaevich of work of artist A. E. Felkerzam on the front flyleaf (lot 12). Do not forget about the interesting selection of small and rare children's books 1920-30-х years. Of the 160 lots in the first session of the new hands left 113 — more than 70 % of this part of the catalog. The result of the money amounted to just over 3 million rubles — 115,4 % (!) from the average estimate of lots. Excellent result!

in Fairness, it should be noted that one third of the revenue of the first session were obtained during the play of just one lot. The record of this part of trading (as, indeed, the entire evening) was the expected lot 12 — book "the snow Queen" Г.-Х. Andersen from the library of the crown PrinceAlexis. With the launch of 300 thousand rubles absentee rate for the lot struggled the Internet and telephone. Won last, bought the book more than three times higher than the start — for 1.05 million.

Among the lots more affordable, success in the first part of the auction were the years 1901-1905 edition, illustrated by I. Bilibin (lots 7-9, 11 and 14) — all the lots were sold to Internet start or with a small excess of the starting price in the range of from 6 to 15 thousand rubles for the book. First purchase of the hall (and the second in the list of most expensive children's books) was lot 49 — rare edition of the tale "the War of Parsley and Styopka Rstrace" E. Schwartz, issued by the Leningrad publishing house "Raduga" in 1925. With 30 thousand rubles starting price, in the struggle of the phone, room and Internet, the book has risen by almost 4.5 times and got a new owner for 130 thousand rubles.

the Third result of the first trading session of June 1 showed lot 133 — one of 12 (presumably the signal) copies of "Stories about comrade Stalin" 1936 edition, sold for part-time starting rate for 120 thousand rubles.

"Rare books, autographs and postcards" were sold out almost 40 % @- in the new hands went 49 and 126 included in the second session of the auction lots. Total revenue here just short of three million and amounted to 2 982 900 rubles – 36% of the average estimate of lots session.

Among the lots of the second part of the auction, the highest result showed a rare edition of the drama "Prokopy Lyapunov" V. Kuchelbecker, released in Saint-петербургской printing K. Winebar in 1836: the book went to a telephone buyer at a starting rate of 300 thousand rubles. Despite the fact that this figure was three times lower than the record prices of hammer session, children's books, the overall results of books the second part of the auction nearly repeat the sum total of the first session. Moreover, in the second session were shown eight of the ten highest results of the day. A simple calculation leads to the conclusion that the average hammer price for each edition in the second part of the auction was two times more than the average prices for children's books: 27 thousand to 61 thousand rubles on average per lot. That suggests that the market quality children's literature, of course, still has room to grow.

Well, despite the beginning of "the dead", as previously thought, the summer season and the apparent loss of users bidding from the auction halls in the Internet, "the literary Fund" was able to demonstrate the results are quite decent, comparable to the spring numbers. I hope that this trend will continue in the following thematic and rare book auction house. And while I look forward to the results of a large auction "Paintings, drawings, decorative-прикладного art, books and catalogues on art", which will be held June 15, a week after a Grand "Russian week" in London.

Maria Kuznetsova, AI