With a respectable overall result of EUR 2 million* and many world record prices, the auction of “Modern and Contemporary Art”, intended as an interim auction with works of up to EUR 20.000, was one of Germany’s very important auctions this year.

“24 per cent new customers and an average increase of 45% (ration between limit and hammer price) per sold object, once more confirm that art as a means of investment is more in demand than ever before“, said Robert Ketterer of Ketterer Kunst about the first part of his fall auctions**.

He continued: “Quality is what matters, this has also been proven by more than a dozen lots that went far beyond the EUR 20.000-mark.“ One can be excited about the coming auction of Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century on Friday 29 October.

Top 5
Lot 359: Bruno Paul Seener - Die drei Grazien. Record price EUR 59.000*, Starting price: EUR 12.000
Lot 116: Albert Birkle – Damenbildnis. Result EUR 51.000*, Starting price: EUR 9.000
Lot 183: Otto Freundlich – Komposition. Result EUR 44.000*, Starting price: EUR 12.000
Lot 655: Fritz Koenig – Pietà. Result EUR 37.000*, Starting price: EUR 14.000
Lot 15: Lea Grundig - In den Abgrund. Record price EUR 34.000*, Starting price: EUR 12.000

The focal points were on:
1. Modern Art with
1.1. Sidelines of the German Avant-garde
2. Post War/Contemporary Art

On 1. Modern Art
The October auctions were opened with the section of Modern Art, which was lead by Bruno Paul Seener’s impressive oil painting “Die drei Grazien“ (lot 359) from 1937, estimated at EUR 14.000-18.000, a bidder from Southern Europe relegated competitors from Germany and abroad, e.g. from Hong Kong, to second places and beyond, allowing the world-record price*** of EUR 59.000*.

Lovely ladies seem to have taken a shine to the same bidder, as neither half a dozen phone bidders nor a good deal of written bids and bidders in the room could stop his eagerness to get hold of Albert Birkle‘s “Damenbildnis - Elisabeth Starosta mit Chiffon-Bluse und Hut“ (lot 116). For a result of EUR 51.000* he can now call the strong character portrait his own. His bid did not only make for the auction’s sharpest increase, it also is the highest price ever paid for a lady’s portrait by the artist***.

A “Komposition“ on cardboard (lot 183) by Otto Freundlich from 1938, very appealing particularly as far as the coloring is concerned, went to France for a result of 44.000*. A Paris gallery stood its ground against other European competitors on the phone and allowed more than a threefold of the starting price of EUR 12.000.

Results of EUR 29.000* each were realized by both Karl Caspar‘s oil painting “Mariens Gang über das Gebirge“ (lot 130), called up at EUR 7.000, as well as Karl Hofer‘s “Montagnola (?)“ (lot 209), which had been estimated at EUR 18.000-24.000. While the first went to Southern Europe, the light-flooded Ticino landscape still calls Germany its home.

A strong bidding skirmish broke out when Alexander Kanoldt‘s oil painting “Wiesenlandschaft mit Gehöft“ (lot 216) was called up, it was eventually stopped by a private collector. With a result of EUR 27.000*, he got his way against bidders from mostly Germany.

The same price was allowed to honor a work by Walter Dexel whose “Straße bei Florenz (Zur Porta Romana II)“ (lot 157) from 1913, won the heart of an art lover, who won over competitors on the phone and made for a threefold of the starting price.

On 1.1. Sidelines of the Germany Avant-garde
The top result for the special part Sidelines of the German Avant-garde, which was presented as an individual complex of works for the seventh time, was achieved by Lea Grundig‘s impressive pen and India ink drawing and India ink drawing “In den Abgrund“ (lot 15), which was called up at EUR 12.000. A great interest and strong tenacity enabled a collector from Greece to grant a sharp increase and a final result of EUR 34.000*. Additionally, this result set the world record price*** for a work by this artist.

Other great prices were achieved by three works by Harold Bengen, for instance by the oil painting “Akt in der Brandung“ (lot 6, starting price: EUR 2.200, result: EUR 8.500*) as well as by Willy Graba‘s “Tunis“ (lot 14, starting price: EUR 2.000, result: EUR 5.200*) and Joseph Friedrich Gustav Binder‘s “Abstraktion“ (lot 9, starting price: EUR 1.500, result: EUR 4.600*).

Other lots in the section of Modern Art that are more than just worthwhile mentioning:

Los 199: Heckel (watercolor), Landschaft in Angeln. Starting price EUR 8.000, Result EUR 22.900*
Los 288: Müller (oil), Liegender weiblicher Akt … Starting price EUR 13.000, Result EUR 19.500*
Los 225: Kleinschmidt (oil), Stillleben mit Rosen, Vasen... Starting price EUR 8.000, EUR 19.500*
Los 337: Purrmann (watercolor), Südliche Landschaft (Ischia). Starting price EUR 6.000, Result EUR 18.300*
Los 263: Marcks (bronze), Melusine I. Starting price EUR 12.000, Result EUR 17.000*
Los 317: Picasso (linocut in colors), Femme endormie. Starting price EUR 8.000, Result EUR 15.900*
Los 176 : Feininger (watercolor), Six Manikins. Starting price EUR 8.000, Result EUR 15.200*

on 2. Post War/Contemporary Art
The list of results of this section is led by Fritz Koenig‘s bonze „Pietà“ (lot5), which could only get into the hands of a collector from the Ruhr region for EUR 37.000* (starting price: EUR 14.000) after a fierce bidding skirmish against bidders in the room and on the phone. On top of that, two jewelry objects by the same artist (lot 656: necklace “Biga“, starting price: EUR 3.500, result: EUR 11.600* and lot 657: “Ring mit Pferdekopf“, starting price: EUR 2.500, result: EUR 5.500*) were also very successful.

Another work that made it to the top is Dieter Krieg‘s “Ohne Titel (Kotelett im Schlaufe)“ (lot 662), which went to a German collector whose written bid had more than enough stamina to withhold an intensive bidding skirmish on the phone, eventually his EUR 23.000* (starting price: EUR 8.000) made for yet another world record price***.

A new customer from Southern France managed to stop the bidding frenzy of his competitors from Germany and Great Britain at EUR 16.000*, and thus decided the competition over Antony Donaldson‘s “Trailer“ (lot 562) for himself. He did not only allow more than a tenfold of the starting price of EUR 1.500, but also made for the sharpest increase in this auction and a new world record*** for a work by the artist.

Besides a packed auction room, a dozen bidders on the phone and numerous written bids were attracted by Bruno Munari‘s untitled oil painting from 1951 (lot 694). The Italian fraction decided this skirmish almost exclusively amongst themselves, which is why it is no surprise that the squared “gem“ from a Hamburg private collector went to a Northern Italian art dealer for a result of EUR 16.000* (starting price: EUR 4.500).

Just as Munari‘s work was popular among the Italians, Sigmar Polke‘s “Parkett-Jubiläum II“ (lot 706) was popular with German bidders and it needed a Southern German private collector and almost the same amount, roundabout EUR 15.000* (starting price: EUR 5.500) to obtain the artist book from 1994.

About a dozen works by Friedensreich Hundertwasser were much sought-after, not only were they almost entirely sold, they also went for sums far beyond their starting price. The highlight was the India ink drawing “Figur und Spirale“ (lot 618), which climbed from EUR 6.000 to EUR 14.600*. Austria will be the new home of the work that also set a new world record for a drawing by the artist.

Other objects that realized excellent increases:

Los 793: Zimmer (oil), Mensch und Tier. Starting price EUR 7.500, Result EUR 14.600*
Los 519: Balkenhol (bronze), Paar. Starting price EUR 8.000, Result EUR 14.600*
Los 701: Pfahler (acrylic), K – 69/II. Starting price EUR 6.000, Result EUR 13.400*
Los 531: Bott (mixed media), Komposition. Starting price EUR 5.000, Result EUR 12.200*
Los 589: Grieshaber (gouache), Ohne Titel. Starting price EUR 3.000, Result EUR 12.200*
Los 600: Hartung (oil chalk), P3-1977-H23. Starting price EUR 4.000, Result EUR 10.100*
Los 566: Essig (mixed media), Meerlandschaft. Starting price EUR 5.500, Result EUR 10.000*

All unsold objects can be purchased in the post auction sale up until late November 2010. List of results can be obtained by phone at 0049-89-55244-0 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              0049-89-55244-0      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

* The result is the hammer price + 22 percent buyer’s premium in art auctions.
** Unlike other German auction houses, Ketterer Kunst holds its season auctions on several days. The auction of Old Masters and Art of the 19th Century will be held on 29 October and the main auction of Modern and Contemporary Art will be held on 4 December.
*** source: www.artnet.com

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.

Contact:

Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 München
Tel. +49-(0)55244-444 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +49-(0)55244-444      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax.: +49-(0)55244-177
E-mail: infomuenchen@kettererkunst.de