Submitted by aarAdmin on Mon, 10/21/2013 - 00:00
Historically important rare books were the highlight of Mossgreen’s first auction in new salerooms in Armadale this last week.
Comprising 22 volumes of engraved plates, maps, charts and scientific discoveries made on French expeditions of the Pacific from 1826-1829, “Voyage de la corvette l’Astrolabe” by Dumont D’Urville was conservatively estimated at $25,000-35,000 – with the expectation that they would probably fetch a higher price on the day.
What nobody predicted was that they would eventually be knocked down to a private collector for as much as $228,000 including premium, with multiple bidders battling it out in the auction room. The result is a new world record for this publication.
Deemed exceptionally rare due to their completeness and excellent condition, it is hoped they will be made available for public view in due course.
Another set of volumes detailing an earlier French Pacific voyage sold for $66,000 – and Views in the South Seas, from drawings by the late James Webber, known to be the only colour plate book of Captain James Cook’s voyages,also sold well at $40,800.
According to Mossgreen, these results are a fitting introduction to its new book department.
Headed by Charles Leski, Mossgreen intends to hold one major book auction each year and is currently inviting consignments for 2014.
Mossgreen Managing Director Paul Sumner was delighted with the result of the sale.
“Single owner auctions always achieve greater market interests and the carefully selected collection of John and Marita McIntosh was no exception,” he said. “The demand for traditional antique furniture was notably buoyant, which we have not seen for a long time.”
Including aftersales the auction made a total of just over $1.472 million with 107 per cent sold by value and 90.7 per cent by volume.
