The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 27, July 3, 2005, Article 2

MUNZEN UND MEDAILLEN LIBRARY SALE RESULTS

George Kolbe writes: "The finest international numismatic
library ever dispersed was sold on June 23rd and 24th, 2005
in Osnabrück, Germany by the firm of Fritz Rudolf Künker.
Comprising a total of 3,589 lots, the library formed by the
venerable Basel, Switzerland coin firm of Münzen und
Medaillen AG brought approximately 890,000 euros or,
including the 15% buyer premium, a total of 1.23 million
dollars. After the June 1, 2004 sale of Part I of the John J.
Ford, Jr. Library (1000 lots  at  1.66 million dollars), it is the
highest price ever achieved for a numismatic library in a single
auction sale. Bidders from all over Europe, and a few from
the United States, attended the sale and prices were generally
quite strong. A few highlights follow: a leather-bound set of
Forrer’s "The Weber Collection: Greek Coins" brought €2600;
a rare offprint by von Fritze on the ancient coins of Ilion sold
for €1000; an extremely rare volume of proof photographs
depicting the entire collection of ancient coins formed by S.
Pozzi opened at 2400 and ended up bringing €7250;
Robinson and Clements’ rare 1938 work on "The Chalcidic
Mint" sold strongly for €2700; Brause-Mansfeld’s two volume
work on siege coins opened and closed at €1600; Papadopoli’s
classic on the coins of Venice sold for €1700; classic nineteenth
century works on Russian coins and medals reflected the current
strong market for works in this field; key works on Islamic coins
brought typically good prices; Dugniolle’s classic work on Dutch
jetons sold for €1700; Habich’s classic multi-volume work on
German Renaissance medals realized €5200; Hill and de Ricci’s
two volumes on Renaissance medals and reliefs in the Dreyfus
collection sold at €6500; numismatic periodicals brought strong
prices, including Revue belge de numismatique, 1842-2000,
 at  €15,000, Revue numismatique, 1836-2003,  at  €18000;
Rivista Italiana, 1888-2003,  at  €17000, and Zeitschrift für
Numismatik, 1874-1935,  at  €26000. The principals and staff
of the Künker firm are to be congratulated on a job very well
done. A longer report will appear in a future issue of The Asylum."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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