Excellent half-year figures - Bidding running high in the auction room

Munich, 29 June, 2011 (kk) - A remarkable result of more than EUR 12 million* have been achieved in the spring auctions at Ketterer Kunst. ”If the quality is right collectors are willing to invest large sums. This is proven by an average increase of up to 71 percent for sold objects (ratio between limit and hammer price) per auction, as well as a maximum of 25 percent new customers who showed great buying potential“, said Robert Ketterer, owner of Ketterer Kunst.

The auction of Art of the 20th and 21st Century grossed an overall result of almost EUR 10 million*, a plus of around EUR 1 million* in comparison with the same period last year. This was realized thanks to the participation of bidders from more than 40 countries, most of them from Europe and the USA, but also from Brazil, the People's Republic of China, Singapore and Australia. Besides excellent increases for top lots by Franz Radziwill (”Gespräch über einen Paragraphen“, result: EUR 344.040*), Hermann Max Pechstein (”Zerfallenes Haus“, result: EUR 323.300*), Otto Dix (“Alte Birnbäume in Hemmenhofen“, result: EUR 274.500*) and Gerhard Richter (“Abstraktes Bild“, result: EUR 170.800*), results of works by, for instance, Albert Bloch, Edward Cucuel, Rupprecht Geiger, Paul Kleinschmidt, Gabriele Münter, Emil Nolde, Christian Rohlfs and Hermann Scherer also managed to convince.

Two special auctions that had already been held in May were met by customers with particular approval: Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s postcard ”Straßenszene“, for example, which was offered in context of the special auction From the Collection Schiefler, climbed from a starting price of EUR 2.000 to the extraordinary result of EUR 39.040*, which equals a twenty-fold. In the end, the first-rate total sales quota of 272 percent (ratio between limit and hammer price) for works from this collection was not surprising. The highlight in the special auction of Garden Sculptures, of which all works except for one were sold, was Fritz Koenig’s ”Mona II“, which set a new world record price ** with its result of EUR 97.600*.

In the section of Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century it was Philipp Otto Runge’s cycle of etchings ”Die Zeiten“ that caused a stir. Called up at EUR 35.000 a collector from the USA honored the the rare copy from the first edition with a result of EUR 152.500* and thus set a new world record price** for a printwork by the artist. Other brilliant results were achieved by works by Franz von Stuck and Adriaen van Ostade, as well as by Edward Theodore Compton, Eduard von Grützner, Friedrich Preller the Young, Carl Spitzweg and Anthonie Waterloo.

An overall result of more than EUR 1.5 million* made the department of Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints quite content. “This amount even topped last year’s excellent figures by more than EUR 300.000. The auction has an ever increasing appeal to new international customers who had previously only been interested in art. Variety and quality of the range of offers are vital for this outstanding result“, said Christoph Calaminus, head of the department, emphasizing the meanwhile well-established concept of the exclusive evening auction as an important key for success.

The TOP results of all sections in the first half of 2011

Modern Art
Franz Radziwill, Gespräch über einen Paragraphen, starting price: EUR 240.000, result: EUR 344.000*
Hermann Max Pechstein, Zerfallenes Haus, starting price: EUR 265.000, result: EUR 323.300*
Emil Nolde, Marschlandschaft , starting price: EUR 170.000, result: EUR 286.700*

NACH 1945/Zeitgenössische Kunst
Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild, starting price: EUR 100.000, result: EUR 170.800*
Rupprecht Geiger, 318/61, starting price: EUR 60.000, result: EUR 140.300*
Fritz Koenig, Mona, starting price: EUR 35.000, result: EUR 97.600*

Alte & Neuere Meister
Philipp Otto Runge, 4 Blätter: Die Zeiten , starting price: EUR 35.000, result: EUR 152.500*
Carl Spitzweg, Der Kaktusfreund , starting price: EUR 18.000, result: EUR 22.500*
Adriaen van Ostade, Die Bezahlung der Zeche, starting price: EUR 5.000, result: EUR 18.750*

Wertvolle Bücher - Manuskripte - Autographen - Dekorative Graphik - Hamburg
Sven Hedin, E. Zimmermann , Durch Asiens Wüsten, 2 Fotoalben, 1926-30, starting price: EUR 3.000, result: EUR 74.400*
Ludovico Mirri, Vestigia delle terme di Tito. 1776, starting price: EUR 45.000, result: EUR 54.000*
Hermann Max Pechstein, Postkarte mit Zeichnung und Unterschrift, starting price: EUR 5.000, result: EUR 43.200*

* The result is the hammer price + 25 percent buyer’s premium for objects up to EUR 25.000
The result is the hammer price + 22 percent buyer’s premium for objects from EUR 25.001 to EUR 500.000
The result is the hammer price + 20 percent buyer’s premium for objects as of EUR 500.001
For auctions of Rare Books the result is the hammer price + 20 percent buyer’s premium

** Source: www.artnet.com

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 and Krefeld have contributed substantially to the company's success. Ketterer Kunst has further rounded off its portfolio with the prestigious Ernest Rathenau Verlag, New York/Munich. 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

This release was published on openPR.