It all went other than expected

Ketterer auctions continue to brave the crisis

Robert Ketterer:

"It has once more become obvious that the art market is a safe haven, even in challenging times", said Robert Ketterer, auctioneer and owner of Ketterer Kunst. He continued: "This year it was of a particular importance to apply very strict selection criteria to the offers. The reduced but high quality range in the end made for individual results that couldn‘t have been reached in the last years. In the end all involved parties benefit, and the overall atmosphere could not be better".

This section alone, including the special Bauhaus auction that was carried out on occasion of its anniversary in cooperation with the auction house Quittenbaum, made for proceeds of some € 15 million*. The list of much sought-after artists is led by German names such as Otto Mueller, Franz Radziwill, Emil Nolde, Günther Uecker, Josef Albers, Horst Antes, Ernst Barlach, Martin Kippenberger and Jörg Immendorff, who made for the best results along with artists like Alexej von Jawlensky, Lucio Fontana, Giorgio de Chirico and Georges Mathieu.

The 2009 Top 10 Results

€ 780 000* calling price: € 500 000
Otto Mueller - Artistenpaar

€ 355 000* calling price: € 140 000
Franz Radziwill - Gespräch über einen Paragraphen

€ 290 000* calling price: € 80 000
Emil Nolde – Tänzerin
€ 240 000* calling price: € 70 000
Günther Uecker – Field (Feld)

€ 220 000* calling price: € 140 000
Josef Albers - Study for Homage to the Square...

€ 215 000* calling price: € 90 000
Horst Antes – Großes Blaues Bild

€ 200 000* calling price: € 80 000
Alexej von Jawlensky – Abstrakter Kopf

€ 183 000* calling price: € 30 000
Martin Kippenberger – Ohne Titel
(Aus: Uno di voi...)

€ 183 000* calling price: € 120 000
Ernst Barlach – Der Geistkämpfer

€ 183 000* calling price: € 70 000
Otto Mueller – Der Stehender weiblicher Akt

Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century

This section made for solid results of more than € 1,2 million*. Objects more than worthwhile mentioning are Adolph von Menzel‘s "Blindekuh" with a result of € 98 000*, but also the very rare bronze by Medardo Rosso, which could more than double its estimate of € 30 000, reaching heights of some € 75 000*. Other important names are Carl Spitzweg, Timoleon von Neff, Franz von Defregger and Edward Theodore Compton.

Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints

With an overall result of about € 2,4 million*, the branch was more than content. "I am particularly delighted about the great popularity of our evening auction, which led to a sensational sales quota of 90 percent", said Christoph Calaminus, auctioneer and head of the department of Rare Books.

New House

Besides successful online auctions and some exciting exhibitions in the Berlin gallery, the year 2009 was particularly coined by the grand opening of the newly built company headquarter in the context of the June auction and the exhibition of works by Armin Mueller-Stahl in Munich. The new facility did not only inspire the team of Ketterer Kunst, but also seems to have had a positive effect on customers, which continued to show their faith in the institution Ketterer Kunst. In this connection the media coverage also had a relevant share.

The top three of each section in 2009