Outstanding launch for new House for Art - Very good half-year balance at Ketterer Kunst

Munich, 9 July 2009, (kk) - Over € 7.9 million*, thus the very good results from the Spring Auctions at Ketterer Kunst in Munich and Hamburg. “Even though it isn’t easy currently to get hold of good works, we succeeded in collecting an offering that met with an enthusiastic response and ensured outstanding sales proceeds. You could have hardly wished for a better start in a year like this,” observed Robert Ketterer, auctioneer and owner of Ketterer Kunst, commenting on the results achieved during the first six months of 2009.

The takings from auctions of Art of the 20th Century, including the special Bauhaus auction, amounted to over € 6 million*. Apart from the top lot, a Franz Radziwill, which achieved € 355 000*, works by Albert Birkle, Lucia Fontana, Diego Giacometti, Emil Nolde, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Norbert Kricke, Ewald Mataré, Emil Schumacher, Arnold Topp, Prosper de Troyer and Fritz Winter showed excellent rises over estimates.

The inauguration of the new Ketterer Kunst headquarters saw the Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century . From now on, art of the 15th-21st centuries - like Modern and Contemporary Art - will be sold at auction in Munich four times a year. The first six months of 2009 saw outstanding results, especially with works by Wilhelm Busch, Edward Compton, Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, Franz von Defregger, Carl Hilgers and Octavianus Montfort.

With overall sales proceeds amounting to some € 1 200 000*, the Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints division was also highly gratified. “This result matches what was achieved at both auctions last year and is certainly thanks to our concept of an exclusive evening auction, which has by now become an established event,” thus division head Christoph Calaminus. “Since some titles tend to attract sealed bids in writing, we have also introduced what is known as a silent auction for a small part of the auction. In this way, we are taking the bidding behaviour of our clientele into consideration and making it possible to concentrate more on the main auction, which has had a positive effect on sale prices,” adds Calaminus.

Alongside the classic auctions, online auctions have elicited enormous enthusiasm. Since early last year, Ketterer Kunst has been holding them through the new platform www.fine-art-auctions.com of Art Directory GmbH. Here the auction house offers objects by artists from around the world, almost all of them called at prices below € 1000.

The TOP sale prices in all divisions

Modern Art
Franz Radziwill, Gespräch über einen Paragraphen [Conversation about a Paragraph], Estimate: € 150,000, Result: € 355,000*
Josef Albers, Study for Homage to the Square: High Pasture, Estimate: € 180,000, Result: € 220,000*
Ernst Barlach, Der Geistkämpfer [Spirit Fighter], Estimate: € 150,000, Result: € 180,000*

Post War/Contemporary Art
Lucio Fontana, Concetto Spaziale, Estimate: € 70,000, Result: € 145,000 *
Norbert Kricke, Raumplastik [Spatial Sculpture], Estimate: € 40,000, Result: € 93,000*
Diego Giacometti, Console à plateaux, modèle aux grenouilles, Estimate: €40,000, Result: € 74, 000*

Old Masters & Art of the 19th Century
Franz von Defregger, Bäuerin am Spinnrocken [Peasant Woman at Her Distaff], Estimate: € 35, 000, Result: € 36,000*
Edward Theodore Compton, Piz Morteratsch, Estimate: € 8000, Result: € 35,000*
Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, In the Forest of Fontainebleau, Estimate: € 30,000, Result: € 28,000*

Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints - Hamburg
Matthias Merian, Theatrum Europaeum.1662-1764, Estimate: € 18,000, Result: € 34,000*
Leonhard Fuchs, De historia stirpium commentarii.1542., Estimate: € 28,000, Result: € 31,000*
Isaac Commelin, Begin ende voortgangh, ... 1645-46., Estimate: € 28,000, Result: € 31,000*

*) Result equals hammer price + surcharge.
**) Source: www.artnet.de.

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 headquarters in Munich and a branch in Hamburg. Gallery rooms in Berlin as well as representatives in Heidelberg, Krefeld and Ravensburg have contributed substantially to our success. Ketterer Kunst has further rounded off its portfolio by acquiring the prestigious Ernest Rathenau Verlag, New York/Munich. In addition, exhibitions, special themed auctions and benefit auctions for charity as well as online auctions are regular events at Ketterer Kunst.

Contact:

Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 München

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

For client enquiries:
Tel. +49-(0)55244-444
Fax.: +49-(0)55244-177
E-mail: infomuenchen@kettererkunst.de

This release was published on openPR.