This paper describes the Australian Book Auction Records, a dataset of prices and other information collected from auctions of rare books. The dataset contains a large number of prices from Australian rare book auctions, and a much smaller number from London rare book auctions. All the books in...

This paper examines price paths in sequential ascending auctions of identical rare books in Australia. Economic theory is inconclusive but suggests prices in sequential auctions of identical objects should follow flat or rising paths. The empirical literature is in several ways unsatisfactory,...

This paper uses data from 3144 rare book auctions to study the breadth of auctioneers’ estimate ranges. The ‘information hypothesis’ proposes that wider ranges reflect greater uncertainty. The ‘reserve hypothesis’ proposes that a narrower range indicates a higher reserve price. The...