Sender: Rare book and manuscripts <EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
I tend to reply to the topics as they appear on the list. They touch on
different aspects of the problem. And evoke different bits of history in my
mind which I am happy to share.
Did Bernard Quaritch?s wealth consist of the unsold inventory?
Gabriel Austin
-----Original Message-----
From: Rare book and manuscripts [mailto:EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU] On
Behalf Of Martin Davies
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 10:43 AM
To: EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU
Subject: Re: [EXLIBRIS-L] NY Auction Bidding Legislation
Quaritch, B. Wealth at death: £38,782 4s. Source OXFORD DNB, by Arthur
Freeman. I wonder if Mr Austin would be good enough to unleash his thoughts
on this topic in one portmanteau message rather than wearing out our delete
fingers.
mcd
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gabriel Austin" gabrielaustin@EARTHLINK.NET
To: <EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 5:16 PM
Subject: Re: [EXLIBRIS-L] NY Auction Bidding Legislation
> Hans Kraus bought the Houghton Gutenberg for $1.5 million in the
mid-1960s.
> He finally sold it 10 or 15 years later for $2 million.
>
>
>
> B. Quaritch on his death had an inventory of several million pounds but I
> believe he died bankrupt. The habit started with Gutenberg and continued
> through Aldus and the other great publishers: book rich, cash poor.
>
>
>
> Gabriel Austin
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rare book and manuscripts [mailto:EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU]
On
> Behalf Of Kevin Kelly
> Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2007 12:29 PM
> To: EXLIBRIS-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU
> Subject: Re: [EXLIBRIS-L] NY Auction Bidding Legislation
>
>
>
> A. Kevin buys book at auction for $500 and sells for $2000. Consignor gets
>
> $340.
>
> B. Kevin buys book from seller for $500 and sells for $2000. Consignor
gets
>
> $500.
>
>
>
> Which is better?
>
>
>
> I think your comment about bookseller markups is off base. Booksellers
>
> writes checks for inventory, some of which they hold for 5, 10, or 50
years.
>
> Go to any book auction and you'll see several dealers there to bid, how
does
>
> bidding at a sale "profoundly reduce the monies that the consignor will
>
> receive from the sale."?
>
>
>
> I'd bet 400% markup is the (rare) exception not the rule if you have
>
> inventory of the caliber of Kevin's.
>
>
>
> -A different Kevin.
>
>
>
> P. S. I think the govt. might do better to focus on things like mortgages
>
> and stock markets and let those who spend on luxury items worry about
>
> themselves, they'll do a better job of it anyway if they go to more than
one
>
> auction.
>
>
>
> Kevin F. Kelly
>
> J. N. Bartfield Fine Books
>
> 30 West 57th St.
>
> New York, NY 10019
>
> http://www.bartfield.com/bks/welcome.htm
>
> 212 245 8890
>
> Fax 212 541 4860
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 8/21/07 1:51 PM, "Everett Wilkie" <ewilkie@IX.NETCOM.COM> wrote:
>
>
>
>>>
>
>>> The problem (immorality) is that mere "disclosure" of a "buyer's
premium"
>
>>> does not fully disclose to the consignor how this second fee will
> directly
>
>>> and sometimes profoundly reduce the monies that the consignor will
> receive
>
>>> from the sale.
>
>>
>
>> I assume that by this same reasoning when Kevin buys a book from a
private
>
>> party for, say, $500, he immediately tells that person that he intends to
>
>> sell it for $2,000. Bookseller markups, some of which are huge, also
>
>> "profoundly reduce the monies that the consignor will receive from the
>
>> sale." At least in the auction world, the selling price is obvious and
>
>> known to all, no matter how it was arrived at.
>
>>
>
>> I don't know of any auction house that could stay in business without
> making
>
>> a profit, anymore than a bookseller could. If buyer's premiums are not
>
>> charged, that money is going to come out of the consignor's pocket. So,
> the
>
>> $1,000 auction sale, instead of producing, say, $800 for the consignor
>
>> because the buyer is paying part of the freight, would suddenly be
reduced
>
>> to something like $500. Don't strike me as much of a bargain for anybody
>
>> except the buyer.
>
>>
>
>> PO Box 11
>
>> Bluffton, TX 78607
>
>> 325-379-1810
>
>> "Open except when closed"
>
>> --Store sign
>
>