US auctions: healthy start to the season for Zachys, Acker, Sotheby’s
September 20, 2007
Autumn's opening auctions seemed to ignore troubled credit markets and strains in the economy.
In its wine-auction debut on 14 September, Skinner, a Boston house,sold 94% of its 224 lots, grossing US$290,460.
Skinner's catalogue was estimated at US$222,855 to US$313,445. Its top sellers were two lots each of 12 bottles of 2000 Lafite-Rothschild, which fetched US$9,560 each.
Aulden Cellars/Sotheby's generated US$5,398,591 in separate sales on 7-8 September. The collector Thomas O. Ryder's 5,477-bottle consignment made US$1,706,698. Four 1974 Heitz Martha's Vineyard magnums went for US$26,887.
Zachys fetched US$5,349,038 - 'one of the strongest auctions we have ever held,' the house said - on 7-8 September. Six bottles of Louis Roederer Cristal rosé, estimated at a low US$1,800 to US$3,000 brought in an eye-opening US$23,800.
On 7-8 September, Acker, Merrall & Condit had a US$5,100,706 yield. A case of 1999 Romanée Conti, DRC brought US$78,650. Twelve bottles of Georges Roumier's 1971 Musigny sold for US$66,550.
Source: Decanter Magazine