Munich, 20 June, 2012, (kk) - "€ 13 million**, that's the remarkable result for the 2012 spring auctions. The sections of Modern and Contemporary Art alone generated proceeds of € 1 million* more than in last year's spring, which is very likely to be an exclusive case among all German auction houses" ****, says company owner Robert Ketterer. He continues: "The demand for art is higher than ever before, and an end of the boom is not in sight. With so much tailwind, we are looking forward to our 400th jubilee auction on 8 December".

Realizing nearly a threefold of the starting price: Robert Ketterer is calling up Emil Nolde's "Marschlandschaft am Uterwarf".

"The range of offerings is narrow, buyers' act selectively and have high expertise", continues the auctioneer. "Our strategy of offering high quality at moderate price estimates has proven successful: Just eight works with estimates above € 100.000 entered the race this spring, however, 20 realized results beyond this mark".

It was particularly abstract art that dominated the section of Art of the 20th and 21st Century, for instance works by Georg Baselitz, Heinz Mack, Ernst Wilhelm Nay, Serge Poliakoff, Sean Scully and Pierre Soulages. But figurative art was also much sought-after and realized sharp increases as well. Next to an India ink drawing by Käthe Kollwitz, which saw an increase of 420 percent***, the list of desires was led by works by Vladimir Georgievich Bekhteev, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Maetzel, Gabriele Münter and Emil Nolde. Particularly impressive were the results of the special auction New Leipzig School, of which 80 percent were sold with mostly very good increases. One example thereof is David Schnell's "Schneise", which soared to a result of € 110.000* after it was called up at € 25.000.

In the section of Old Masters & Art of the 19th Century it was particularly Ferdinand Max Bredt's "Muße der Odalisken" that made for furor. A bidder from Great Britain honored the oriental scene that was called up at € 25.000 with a result of € 100.000*, making for an increase of 173 percent***. Further excellent results were realized by works by Henri-Edmond Cross and Franz Kadlik, as well as by Albrecht Dürer, Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Friedrich Preller the Younger, Carl Spitzweg, Franz von Stuck and Joseph Wopfner. The combination of quality and an appealing starting price attracted many new customers in this section, where some 30 percent first time bidders were registered, not only from Europe, but also from Russia, the U.S.A. and Argentina.

With overall proceeds of almost € 1.8 million* the department of Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Graphic is most content. "This result exceeds last year's by about € 300.000", states Robert Ketterer. He adds: "The auction continues to attract ever more new international customers, as proven by 20 percent first time bidders". Department manager Christoph Calaminus continues: "Both longtime customers as well as new customers value the offered quality. An example thereof is the top result for the one-of-a-kind De Gros-Carondelet Book of Hours, which reached more than twice its starting price of € 200.000 with a result of € 425.000*. Thus the unique vellum manuscript won first place in the race for the season's highest results in German book auctions".

Franz Radziwill
Gespräch über einen Paragraphen
Starting Price: € 240.000
Result:          € 344.000*

Hermann Max Pechstein
Zerfallenes Haus
Starting Price: € 265.000
Result:&          € 323.300*

Emil Nolde
Marschlandschaft
Starting Price: € 170.000
Result:          € 286.700*

Gabriele Münter
Abend am See
Starting Price: € 220.000
Result:          € 415.000*

Emil Nolde
Marschlandschaft um Utenwarf …
Starting Price: € 100.000
Result:          € 285.000*

Wladimier Georgiewitsch von Bechtejeff
Bogenschützen
Starting Price: € 200.000
Result:          € 260.000*

Gerhard Richter
Abstraktes Bild
Starting Price: € 100.000
Result:          € 170.800*

Rupprecht Geiger
318/61
Starting Price: €  60.000
Result:          € 140.300*

Fritz Koenig
Mona
Starting Price: €  35.000
Result:           €  97.600*

Serge Poliakoff
Composition abstraite...
Starting Price: € 250.000
Result:          € 525.000*

Pierre Soulages
Peinture 81 x 60 cm, 2mai1957
Starting Price: € 140.000
Result:          € 490.000*

Georg Baselitz
Kopf (Elke Profil)
Starting Price: € 180.000
Result:           € 330.000*

Philipp Otto Runge
4 Blätter: Die Zeiten
Starting Price: €  35.000
Result:          € 152.500*

Carl Spitzweg
Der Kaktusfreund
Starting Price: €  18.000
Result:          €  22.500*

Adriaen van Ostade
Die Bezahlung der Zeche
Starting Price: €   5.000
Result:          €  18.750*

Ferdinand Max Bredt
Muße der Odalisken
Starting Price: €  25.000
Result:          € 100.000*

Henri-Edmond Cross
Skabiosen
Starting Price: €  14.000
Result:          €  2.750*

Franz Kadlik
Drei Engel
Starting Price: €   4.400
Result:          €  27.500*

Sven Hedin, E. Zimmermann
Durch Asiens Wüsten, 2 photo albums
Starting Price: €   3.000
Result:          €  74.400*

Ludovico Mirri
Vestigia delle terme di Tito. 1776
Starting Price: €  45.000
Result:          €  54.000*

Hermann Max Pechstein
Postkarte mit Zeichnung und Unterschrift
Starting Price: €   5.000
Result:          €  43.200*

De Gros-Carondelet- Stundenbuch
Flanders c.1480 / Burgundy ca.1485/1500
Starting Price: € 200.000
Result:          € 425.000*

Jan Huygen van Linschoten
Vestigia delle terme di Tito. 1776
Starting Price: € 100.000
Result:&          € 120.000*

J. W. Weinmann
Phytanthoza-Iconographia. 1737-45
Starting Price: € 40.000
Result:          €  64.800*

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, Düsseldorf and Modena (Italy) have contributed substantially to the company's success. 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.

*      The result is the hammer price + buyer's premium
**     Unlike other German auction houses Ketterer Kunst holds it auction season
       on several € days, which is reflected by overall proceeds
       € of € 13 million* for spring 2012.
***   The percentage indicates the ratio between starting price (limit price)
       and hammer price.
****  The information is based on results published in 'Handelsblatt' in 2011 and 2012,
      as well as on press releases by German auction houses.