Spring auctions of 15th-21st century art up to € 50 000
Of records and recessions
Storming the peak: Robert Ketterer sets a new world record with € 35 000* for
"Piz Morteratsch", a work by
Edward Theodore Compton
(Source: www.artnet.de)
Munich, 30 April 2009 (kk) - "Two months before our important Munich main auction we have experienced an auction typical of the times with extreme peaks and troughs," comments Robert Ketterer on his spring auctions of 28/29 April. "There has been noticeable reticence in buyer behaviour where high estimates were concerned but there have also been rises by a multiple factor for objects carrying reasonable estimates. On the whole, however, the financial means are available and are also being deployed," adds the owner of Ketterer Kunst.
Art of the 15th-21st Centuries
€ 70.000* called at: €15.000
Nr. 939: Zoran Music - Colline dalmate
€ 39.000* called at: €32.000
Nr. 960: Markus Prachensky – Untitled
€ 38.000* called at: €19.000
Nr. 517: Otto Mueller – Two Gypsies...
€ 38.000* called at: €16.000
Nr. 441: Alexander Kanoldt Säben Monastery Chapel
€ 37.000* called at: €8.000
Nr. 555: Leo Putz – Portrait of a Lady
€ 35.000* called at: €7.000
Nr. 81: Edward Compton – Piz Morteratsch
With overall auction proceeds amounting to € 1.6 million, the auction started off by literally storming the peaks with the 1914 Edward Theodore Compton oil painting "Piz Morteratsch" in the Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century division.
On the one hand, the glaciers are melting so paintings depicting this fascinating world of ice are appreciating in value. On the other, the strategy of attractive estimates has proved its worth this time once again, as was shown in October 2008 (Edward Theodore Compton: "Glacier Plateau" estimate: € 7 000-9 000; result: € 23 000*).
A round dozen bidders from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and the Republic of Slovakia, including five new clients, highly appreciated the reasonable price of € 7000 at which it was called and a fierce bidding skirmish ensued. From it an Austrian bidder in the auction room emerged victorious at € 35 000*.
"Our clientele simply knows what they want. Further, they attach great importance to good value for the money," is Robert Ketterer’s trenchant analysis. Seven etchings by Jusepe de Ribera, for instance, were sold in nearly all cases for the estimates, to the delight of three buyers from Spain and Italy.
Also delighted was a Swiss collector, who, like nearly 30 per cent of those participating in the auction, had placed his first bid with Ketterer Kunst, securing ten of the eleven Albrecht Dürer prints on offer.
Along with the Florentine oil painting "Madonna and Child with John the Baptist", which an English collector bid up to € 18 000 from an estimate of € 2 500-€ 3 000, a German "Früchtestillleben" ["Still Life with Fruit"] scored an enormous rise: a collector from Belgium paid tribute to the work by parting with € 21 000* for it.
Zoran Music "Colline dalmate". 1966.Oil on canvas. 81 x 100 cm (31.8 x 39.3 in). Result: € 70 000
The highest hammer price achieved during the two-day event was in the Post War/Contemporary Art division for the 1966 Zoran Music oil painting "Colline dalmate". It was hotly contested by bidders from Italy, San Marino, Austria and Britain. A collector from Greece finally outstripped eight telephone bidders at € 70 000*.
A distinctive and timeless work by Markus Prachensky "Ohne Titel" ["Untitled"] went to Austria. A private collection paid € 39 000* for it.
More than honourable mention also goes to:
| Lot Nr. | Artist (Medium) | Title | Estimate | Sale price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 717 | Elvira Bach (acryl) | When Night Falls in Berlin | € 4 000 | € 21 000* |
| 862 | Fritz Koenig (bronze) | Herd of Gondolas | € 12 000 | € 20 000* |
| 764 | S. Dali (drawings) | Carnet de Dessins | € 12 000 | € 20 000* |
| 958 | Philipp Pfeifer (acryl)) | Flocks of Angels | € 2 500 | € 15 000* |
Otto Mueller "Two Gypsies (Mother and Daughter)". 1926/27Colour lithograph with additional green.
70 x 50 cm (27.3 x 19.7 in).
Result: € 38 000*
In the Modern Art division the Otto Mueller colour lithograph of "Zwei Zigeunerinnen (Zigeunermutter mit Tochter)" ["Two Gypsies (Mother and Daughter)"] did not disappoint expectations. For
€ 38 000* the work went to a telephone bidder in Germany.
The catalogue cover picture climbed to equally dizzying heights. Alexander Kanoldt’s "Klosterkapelle von Säben" ["Säben Monastery Chapel"], carrying an estimate of € 18 000-24 000 went to a sealed bid that had allowed for more.
Another work that caused a stir in the auction room was a "Damenporträt" ["Portrait of a Lady"] by Leo Putz. Painted before 1900, it is more topical than ever today and achieved a lofty € 37 000*.
Also well worth mentioning:
| Lot No. | Artist (medium) | Title | Estimate | Sale price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 584 | Richard Seewald (oil) | Landscape: South of France | € 14 000 | € 28 000* |
| 355 | G. de Chirico (bronze) | Il poeta solitario | € 25 000 | € 27 000* |
| 613 | H. Zille (drawings) | Joys of Sunday ... | € 18 000 | € 21 000* |
| 958 | E. L. Kirchner (woodcut) | Nude with flower | € 15 000 | € 20 000* |
Objects unsold at the auction will be offered for sale at the post-auction sales until the end of May 2009. For auction results, call 00 49 (0)89-55244-444. More information at www.kettererkunst.com.
Note now:
The dates 19/20 June 2009 the four Grand Welcome Auctions, including the special BAUHAUS auction will be held. An exhibition of works by Armin Mueller-Stahl will be shown in June/July 2009, also at Ketterer’s new House for Art.
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.
* Sale price achieved (result) equals hammer price + 22 per cent surcharge.
Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 Munich
Michaela Derra
Tel.: +49 (0)89-55244-0 or -152
Fax: +49 (0)89-55244-166
E-mail: m.derra@kettererkunst.de
Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 München
Tel.: +49-(0)89-55244-0
Fax: +49 (0)89-55244-177
E-mail: info@kettererkunst.de
