Rare Books Auction in Hamburg - Germany defeats the USA

Hamburg, 28 November, 2011, (kk) – In the bidding race for George Catlin’s “North American Indian Portfolio” (lot 40), which could almost double its starting price of € 45.000 with a result of € 87.600*, several bidders from the USA were left empty handed. The unique contemporary document of highest rarity will remain in Germany after the heated bidding skirmish.

Die TOP 5
No. 40: G. Catlin, North American Indian Portfolio. London. 1844. Result EUR 87.600*, Starting price: EUR 45.000
No. 114: Der Sturm: Wochenschrift für Kultur und die Künste. Berlin. 1910-29. Result EUR 52.800*, Starting price: EUR 18.000
No. 16: Jacobus de Voragine: Leben der Heiligen (Legenda aurea...). Augsburg. 1477. Result EUR 45.600*, Starting price: EUR 18.000
No. 35: Maria Sibylla Merian: Over de voortteeling en … Amsterdam. 1730. Result EUR 38.400*, Starting price: EUR 32.000
No. 08: Biblia germanica inferior, Lübeck 1494. Result EUR 37.200* Starting price: EUR 18.000

One example are the 15 issues of ”Menschen“ with 92 original prints by Conrad Felixmüller, Otto Dix and others. A German dealer stood his grounds against a private fellow countrymen and made for a result of € 11.040*, almost a sixteen-fold of the starting price of € 700.

A lot of interest could also be noticed when the weekly magazine for art and culture ”Der Sturm“ (lot 114) was called up. A London book dealer allowed almost twice the calling price and let the most important avant-garde magazine of Expressionism soar up to heights of € 52.800*.

The only known copy of ”Legenda aurea...“ (lot 16) by Jacobus de Voragine goes to a French private collector. Called up at € 18.000, he let the work in two volumes climb to a remarkable result of € 45.600*.

While Maria Sibylla Merian’s ”Over de voortteeling en wonderbaerlyke veranderingen der Surinaamsche insecten“ (lot 35) went to a German dealer for € 38.400*, a German private collector made ”Biblia germanica inferior“ (lot 8) sure for himself for a price of € 37.200*.

Other top results as well as great increases were realized by the following:

Lot 2, Horae B. M. V., Stundenbuch, Starting price EUR 18.000, Result EUR 29.280*
Lot 80, Loggie di Rafaele nel Vaticano, Starting price EUR 16.000, Result EUR 19.200*
Lot 575, J. Scultetus, Cheiroplotheke ..., Starting price EUR 4.000, Result EUR 16.800*
Lot 127, Dieter Roth, Bok 1958/59, Starting price EUR 1.400, Result EUR 8.200*
Lot 525, Biblia sinica , Shing ching kuang yi, Starting price EUR170, Result EUR7.440*

The Special Catalog of Children’s Books with two collections of roundabout a thousand books also provided great excitement in the auction room. The offering comprised German spelling books, picture books and activity books from the 19th century to the mid 20th century as well as Dutch and English so-called Movable Books, meaning children’s books with movable parts as well as pop-up books.

With an overall sales quota of 75 percent lots sold, one example worthwhile mentioning is the charming French transformation book ”Le Sérail a l'encan“ (lot 1196) in a playful Rococo style from the collection Landwehr, which started at € 600 and soared to a result of € 4.560*. It went to an English dealer present in the auction room.

‘Yet another remarkable increase was realized by the picture story ”Das Männchen“ (lot 1332) by C. Meissen which came from a private collector from Hamburg. A German antiquarian in the room had the longest breath and eventually put a stop to his opponent’s bidding frenzy at € 2.400* or a fourteen-fold of the starting price.

The auction of Maritime and Northern German Art, which is traditionally held in Hamburg before the Rare Books auction, should not be left unmentioned. This is a selection of the most important results:

Los 1837, Paul Ed. Richard Sohn, Auswanderer …, Starting price EUR 2.000, Result EUR 7.560*
Los 1847, Ernst Eitner, Motiv aus Gothmund ..., Starting price EUR 3.200, Result EUR 5.280*
Los 1829, Ludwig Meixner, Ansicht von Venedig..., Starting price EUR 3.000, EUR 3.960*

Unsold lots can be purchased in the post-auction sale until 15 December.

* The result is the hammer price + 20 percent buyer’s premium.

Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been firmly established in the front ranks of auction houses dealing in fine 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.

Your contact for Press inquiries:

Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 München
GERMANY

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

Your contact in the department of Rare Books :

Ketterer Kunst
Brahms Kontor
Holstenwall 5
20355 Hamburg
GERMANY

Christoph Calaminus
Telefon: +49-(0)40-374961-11, Fax:-66
E-Mail: c.calaminus@kettererkunst.de

This release was published on openPR.