HSK, Hamburg, August 29

Exactly 1,500 lots, of which four out of five were German, were presented and 675 were sold for a total turnover of €122,428 (£108,000/$174,000) – very much in line with the previous HSK auction.

The non-German section started with 149 pieces from the Americas, mainly USA of course. 53 of them sold, the best price being for a Canadian piece, an 1864 £200 bond of the Erie & Niagara Railway, €320 from a start of €280. The Russian section, with only 25 lots much smaller than in other European auctions in the past few years, had no real highlights either. The highest estimated Russian lot, a decorative share in the ‘Paul Boeckel’ company, remained unwanted at €750. The highest price paid for a Russian piece was €620 (start €500) for ‘Hotel Europa’ from St Petersburg. Several of the 32 Scandinavian lots were rather atttractive yet there was little interest shown.  Only 11 sold, and none of the top pieces (such as an 1787 share in the Swenska West-Indiska Co with start price €1,500).

Top piece in the auction was this previously unseen share of a road construction company. Dated 1858 it is not very old by international standards, but it is for Germany. Hence a buyer was found at the start price of €7,500