Munich, 30 June 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.

Propitious beginnings:
Robert Ketterer achieves € 355.000* for the Franz Radziwill oil painting "Gespräch über einen Paragraphen"

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.

Modern Art

Franz Radziwill
Gespräch über einen Paragraphen [Conversation about a Paragraph]
Estimate:  € 150 000
Result:    € 355 000*

Josef Albers
Study for 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:  € 8 000
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.