Munich, 21 June, 2012, (kk) - EUR 13 million**, that’s the remarkable result for the 2012 spring auctions. The sections of Modern and Contemporary Art alone generated proceeds of EUR 1 million* more than in last year’s spring, which is very likely to be an exclusive case among all German auction houses“ ****, says company owner Robert Ketterer. He continues: “The demand for art is higher than ever before, and an end of the boom is not in sight. With so much tailwind, we are looking forward to our 400th jubilee auction on 8 December.“

”The range of offerings is narrow, buyers’ act selectively and have high expertise ”, continues the auctioneer. ”Our strategy of offering high quality at moderate price estimates has proven successful: Just eight works with estimates above EUR 100.000 entered the race this spring, however, 20 realized results beyond this mark.”

It was particularly abstract art that dominated the section of Art of the 20th and 21st Century, for instance works by Georg Baselitz, Heinz Mack, Ernst Wilhelm Nay, Serge Poliakoff, Sean Scully and Pierre Soulages. But figurative art was also much sought-after and realized sharp increases as well. Next to an India ink drawing by Käthe Kollwitz, which saw an increase of 420 percent***, the list of desires was led by works by Vladimir Georgievich Bekhteev, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Maetzel, Gabriele Münter and Emil Nolde. Particularly impressive were the results of the special auction New Leipzig School, of which 80 percent were sold with mostly very good increases. One example thereof is David Schnell’s “Schneise”, which soared to a result of EUR 110.000* after it was called up at EUR 25.000.

In the section of Old Masters &Art of the 19th Century it was particularly Ferdinand Max Bredt’s “Muße der Odalisken” that made for furor. A bidder from Great Britain honored the oriental scene that was called up at EUR 25.000 with a result of EUR 100.000*, making for an increase of 173 percent***. Further excellent results were realized by works by Henri-Edmond Cross and Franz Kadlik, as well as by Albrecht Dürer, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Friedrich Preller the Younger, Carl Spitzweg, Franz von Stuck and Joseph Wopfner. The combination of quality and an appealing starting price attracted many new customers in this section, where some 30 percent first time bidders were registered, not only from Europe, but also from Russia, the U.S.A. and Argentina.

With overall proceeds of almost EUR 1.8 million* the department of Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Graphic is most content. “This result exceeds last year’s by about EUR 300.000“, states Robert Ketterer. He adds: “The auction continues to attract ever more new international customers, as proven by 20 percent first time bidders.“ Department manager Christoph Calaminus continues: “Both longtime customers as well as new customers value the offered quality. An example thereof is the top result for the one-of-a-kind De Gros-Carondelet Book of Hours, which reached more than twice its starting price of EUR 200.000 with a result of EUR 425.000*. Thus the unique vellum manuscript won first place in the race for the season’s highest results in German book auctions“.

The TOP Results of all sections the spring season

Modern Art
2011
Franz Radziwill, Gespräch über einen Paragraphen. Starting price: 240.000 Euro, Result: 344.000* Euro
Hermann Max Pechstein, Zerfallenes Haus. Starting price: 265.000 Euro, Result: 323.300 Euro
Emil Nolde, Marschlandschaft. Starting price: 170.000 Euro, Result: 286.700* Euro

2012
Gabriele Münter, Abend am See. Starting price 220.000 Euro, Result: 415.000* Euro
Emil Nolde, Marschlandschaft um Utenwarf … Starting price: 100.000 Euro, Result: 285.000* Euro
Wladimier Georgiewitsch von Bechtejeff, Bogenschützen. Starting price: 200.000, Result: 268.000* Euro

Post War/Contemporary Art
2011
Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild. Starting price: 100.000 Euro, Result: 170.800* Euro
Rupprecht Geiger, 318/61. Starting price: 60.000 Euro, Result: 140.300*Euro
Fritz Koenig, Mona. Starting price: 35.000 Euro, Result: 97.600* Euro

2012
Serge Poliakoff, Composition abstraite... Starting price: 250.000 Euro, Result: 525.000* Euro
Pierre Soulages, Peinture 81 x 60 cm, 2mai1957. Starting price: 140.000 Euro, Result: 490.000* Euro
Georg Baselitz, Kopf (Elke Profil). Starting price: 180.000 Euro, Result: 330.000* Euro

Old Masters & Art of the 19th Century
2011
Philipp Otto Runge, 4 Blätter: Die Zeiten. Starting price: 35.000 Euro, Result: 152.500* Euro
Carl Spitzweg, Der Kaktusfreund. Starting price: 18.000 Euro, Result: 22.500* Euro
Adriaen van Ostade, Die Bezahlung der Zeche. Starting price: 5.000 Euro, Result: 18.750* Euro

2012
Ferdinand Max Bredt, Muße der Odalisken. Starting price: 25.000 Euro, Result: 100.000* Euro
Henri-Edmond Cross, Skabiosen. Starting price: 14.000 Euro, Result: 28.750 Euro
Franz Kadlik, Drei Engel. Starting price: 4.400 Euro, Result: 27.500* Euro

Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Graphic - Hamburg
2011
Sven Hedin, E. Zimmermann , Durch Asiens Wüsten, 2 photo albums, 1926-30. Starting price: 3.000 Euro, Result: 74.400* Euro
Ludovico Mirri, Vestigia delle terme di Tito, 1776. Starting price: 45.000 Euro, Result: 54.000* Euro
Hermann Max Pechstein, postcard with drawing and signature. Starting price: 5.000 Euro, Result: 43.200* Euro

2012
De Gros-Carondelet- Stundenbuch, Flandern c.1480 / Burgund c. 1485/1500. Starting price: 200.000 Euro, Result: 425.000* Euro
Jan Huygen van Linschoten, Itinerario, Amsterdam 1595/96. Starting price: 100.000 Euro, Result: 120.000* Euro
J. W. Weinmann, Phytanthoza-Iconographia, 1737-45. Starting price: 40.000 Euro, Result: 64.800* Euro

* The result is the hammer price + buyer’s premium
** Unlike other German auction houses Ketterer Kunst holds it auction season on several EUR days, which is reflected by overall proceeds of EUR 13 million* for spring 2012
*** The percentage indicates the ratio between starting price (limit price) and hammer price.
**** The information is based on results published in ‘Handelsblatt‘ in 2011 and 2012, as well as on press releases by German auction houses.

Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been firmly established in the front ranks of auction houses dealing in art and rare books, with its headquarters in Munich and a branch in Hamburg. Gallery rooms in Berlin as well as representatives in Heidelberg, Düsseldorf and Modena (Italy) have contributed substantially to the company's success. In addition, exhibitions, special theme and charity auctions as well as online auctions are regular events at Ketterer Kunst. Robert Ketterer is auctioneer and owner of Ketterer Kunst.

Contact:

Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 München
Tel. +49-(0)55244-444
Fax.: +49-(0)55244-177
E-mail: infomuenchen@kettererkunst.de

For press enquiries:

Michaela Derra M.A.
Telefon: +49-(0)89-55244-152 (Fax: -177)
E-Mail: m.derra@kettererkunst.de
www.kettererkunst.de

This release was published on openPR.