Back-to-Back End-of-Summer Sales
University Archives closed out the summer with two back-to-back sales on August 25 and August 26, 2021. Our first sale, at 361 lots, was of general interest, while the second 100-lot sale focused on Judaica. We maintained an average of 9,200 bidders per day on our online platforms and website (in addition to those who placed absentee and phone bids with our staff), and an average of around 350 participants watched the sales live in real time. Collectors from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada continue to dominate our online market, but we’ve also attracted watchers from places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Cyprus, Trinidad and Tobago, Norway, and Singapore! The two online-only auctions exceeded a combined half a million dollars in sales.
Rare Autographs, Manuscripts & Books: August 25, 2021 Sale Highlights
Presidential, Early American, Civil War, International, and Sports categories generated great interest on the first day. Lot 237, a book of North Korean cultural propaganda signed byKim Il Sung, and with a lengthy inscription in his hand about revolutionaries, exceeded its high estimate, selling for $18,750 including the buyer’s premium. A gorgeously illuminated document in Russian signed by Czar Alexander II sold for $7,500 including the buyer’s premium. Lot 212 was a typed letter signed by Nikita Khrushchev and addressed to Anastas Mikoyan discussing military matters; it crossed the auction block for four times its high estimate, or $2,000 including the buyer’s premium.
Other notable autographs included Lot 139, an autograph letter signed by baseball legend Ty Cobb, which sold for $5,312 including the buyer’s premium; and Lot 15, a 2pp document signed by early American statesman Alexander Hamilton as “A Hamilton Secretary of the Treasury,” which garnered $8,750 including the tip.
100 Lots Of Judaica, Rare Autographs: August 26, 2021 Sale Highlights
Less than 24 hours after the first sale ended, we were thrilled to see regulars return, and new bidders tune in from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Israel.
Some of the most competitive bidding took place on the second day. Lot 25 was an archive of military uniforms, equipment, and supplies belonging to a World War II-era Jewish Brigade soldier. Two American online bidders duked it out for several moments of intense bidding until the lot finally went to Arizona for $6,250 including the buyer’s premium. The winner of Lot 25 was back for Lot 34, a Moshe Dayan owned Holyland vessel signed by the Israeli military commander as “M. Dayan. Samaria. BC 1500.” After a ferocious battle, the ancient piece of pottery went to Florida for $6,250 including the buyer’s premium. A 1p typed letter signed by Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir discussing Stalin and Russian immigration to Israel exceeded its high estimate by 300%, selling for $1,875 including the tip.
Thank you so much for your interest. We’re always interested in hearing from you. Contact us today if you have items like these that you’d like to consign or sell.
Mark your calendars for our September 29, 2021 sale. It will feature a sizable group of international eighteenth- to twentieth-century artists’ autographs, including many French Impressionists. About one quarter of the sale will be devoted to musical, sports, and movie posters.