Skyscript Astrology Forum

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0228823583

It's at a very low price currently. Should fetch at least $50-$100 despite the plain binding. Just wanted to post it in case anyone wants to bid as it's rare! (I already have a copy.)

Well, my estimate was on target - sold (to a dealer, apparently) for $82.99, as compared with a running price of $20.99 at the time I posted my notice in the message above. This effectively reaffirms that the starting bid of $750 for the PBA Galleries copy auctioned earlier this year, on which just one bid was received, against a stated estimate of $1500-$2500 or thereabouts, was absurdly high.

Sometimes major auction house starting bids and estimates serve the auction houses more than they reflect true market values, since they are not always as expertly assessed as they ideally ought to be. They can become self-fulfilling prophecies, as anyone who really wants the book concerned then feels obliged to meet at least the mid-estimate in his or her bid simply to stand a chance of securing the lot.

There is a very high estimate on a forthcoming auction for the first two volumes of the Conjuror's Magazine at Bloomsbury Books currently - ?1000-?1500 GBP, for a defective set lacking the majority of the illustrations, one prefatory page and one index page, and with some damage to the illustrations that are present. I'm steering well clear of this one. It may sell well below the lower estimate. If not, then someone will be paying a fortune for a sub-standard set. Personally I think in this condition it is barely worth more than the opening bid of ?500 + 20% buyer's premium, ie ?600, leaving very little room for a fair auction and no chance of a bargain.

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/556C-C ... enameZWDVW

Philip

I know we are discussing books here not so much the astrology but I thought it was interesting that in his book 'The Sun & The Aspects', Maurice McCann suggests that along with Alan Leo, Chaney was one of the major influences moving astrology away from the traditional use of moeity orbs to the modern approach where aspects are based on aspect type.

I cannot recall which publication by Chaney, Maurice McCann is basing this assumption on. It may or may not have been his Primer of Astrology. I will check McCann's references when I get a chance.

Mark

I'll catch up with replying to Tom, Mark, Laura and Clelia as far as I have anything worthwhile to add later, maybe tomorrow; this will be brief as I need to spend some time with my wife and daughter this evening.

Just wanted to report on the result of the Conjuror's Magazine auction today.

I predicted in an earlier message in this strand that, against an opening bid of ?500GBP and an estimate of ?1000-?1500, the lot would struggle to reach the low estimate and estimated that it was probably worth little more than the opening bid plus 20% buyer's premium.

The result of the auction has vindicated my expectations and proven the auctioneer's estimate as wildly misplaced as I believed: it sold for ?500 plus buyer's premium only, the minimum bid allowed by the auctioneer on the auction:

http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBa ... 0240903191

Once more, good sense has prevailed in the marketplace.

Philip