Robert Ketterer reaches the top result of € 100.040 for Ferdinand Max Bredt's relaxed harem's ladies.

Munich, 30 April, 2012, (kk) – With a result of more than € 2,6 million* in the April auctions, the season begins just as promising as a year ago. "32 percent new bidders in the auction of Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century alone once more confirm the high appeal of fine art", says Robert Ketterer about the spring auction's first part**.

With a starting price of € 10.000 and a result of € 63.440*, it also realized an increase of 420 percent*** and thus the highest increase of the second auction day. Eight further works by the artist were also sold at prices mostly far beyond their starting price.

Another lot at the top of the result list is Ernst Wilhelm Nay's watercolor "Lofoten" (lot 404), which realized more than a five-fold of its starting price of € 9.000. A collector from the Rhineland-Palatinate beat the competition in the auction room, on the phones and the written bids. For a result of € 48.800* he made the sheet from a renowned German collection sure for himself.

Shortly afterward a similarly high price, from € 20.000 to a result of € 45.140*, was realized by an oil painting by Cuno Amiet, which adorns the catalog's cover. His chest portrait "Brustbild einer Dame (Irene)" from 1925 was sought-after world-wide. In the end a private collector from Switzerland won the race against fellow countrymen as well as against bidders from Russia and China.

Great international interest was on a watercolor without title by Salvador Dalí (lot 327), which went from a starting price of € 11.000 to a result of € 25.000*. The hammer went down for a Spaniard who relegated bidders from Germany, the U.S.A. and Great Britain to places second and beyond.

Other top lots of Modern Art:

Objects unsold in the auction can be purchased in the post auction sale until end of May. Lists of auction results are available by phone. Please call +49 (0)89-55244-0.

*  The result is the hammer price
    +25 percent buyer's premium for objects up to € 25 000
     +22 percent buyer's premium for objects above € 25 001
     +20 percent buyer's premium for objects above 500 001

** Unlike other German auction houses Ketterer Kunst holds it auction season on
     several days. The main auction of Modern and Contemporary Art
     is on 9 June, 2012.

*** The percentage indicates the ratio between starting price (limit price) and hammer      price.

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.

www.kettererkunst.com