Munich, 24 June 2016, (kk) - Around € 21 million*, that is the strong result of the auctions at Ketterer Kunst** in the first half of 2016. The departments of Modern and Contemporary Art alone provided a remarkable figure above € 17 million*. Accordingly, the top seller makes the first place once again in this section in Germany.

The department of Rare Books with the best spring result in the history of Ketterer Kunst, as well as the department of 19th Century Art with an average increase of more than 100%*** per sold lot delivered excellent figures, too.

"The demand for high-class objects is constant. Our great results deliver proof thereof and make for perfect conditions for the autumn auction season", says auctioneer and company owner Robert Ketterer. He sums up: "Our concept of offering good quality at attractive estimates pays off".

TOP 10

€ 700.000*    € 340.000   lot 318: Max Pechstein -Stürmisches Wetter an der Ostsee (Beschienene Wellen)
€ 525.000*    € 180.000   lot 911: Günther Uecker - Feld I
€ 437.500*    € 350.000   lot 338: Wassily Kandinsky - Kleines Warm
€ 400.000*    € 280.000   lot 324: Alexej von Jawlensky - Sonnenuntergang, Borkum
€ 375.000*    € 200.000   lot 314: Otto Mueller - Zwei Mädchen auf der Waldwiese (…) Im Gras
€ 362.500*    € 290.000   lot 904: Willi Baumeister - Homunkulus aufsteigend
€ 350.000*    € 150.000   lot 909: Otto Piene - Luther Rose
€ 300.000*    €  30.000   lot 092: Franz von Stuck - Frühling
€ 300.000*    € 230.000   lot 976: Tony Cragg - Runner
€ 262.500*    € 140.000   lot 335: Oskar Schlemmer - Sitzende
€ 262.500*    € 180.000   lot 947: Günther Uecker - Weißes Feld
€ 250.000*    € 180.000   lot 984: Anselm Kiefer -Lapis Philosophorum

The fact that good quality and moderate estimate prices lead to excellent price increases has also been proven by more than 40 results on or beyond the € 100,000 line - which puts this auction at eye level with the results from spring 2015.

Accordingly, the department of Post War/Contemporary Art alone provided a total of 27 results on or beyond this magic mark. Günther Uecker's top lot "Feld I" was lifted to a result of € 525,000*, almost a threefold of the calling price, at the same time it is a prime example of the good figures that his ZERO colleagues realized in general. Alongside Adolf Luther, Heinz Mack, Otto Piene, Jan Schoonhoven and Herbert Zangs, works by, among others, Josef Albers, Willi Baumeister, Hans Hartung, Anselm Kiefer, Yves Klein, Maria Lassnig, Georges Mathieu, Gerhard Richter, Sean Scully and Andy Warhol were also very popular with the bidders.

Apart from a new German auction record for a work by the Spaniard Julio González, the Modern Art department offered works by Alexej von Jawlensky, Wassily Kandinsky, Otto Mueller and Max Pechstein that reached prices in mid- and upper six-digit realms. The special auction "Eine Sammlung der Klassischen Moderne" (A Collection of Modern Art) showed a great performance. Both the quality and a first time appearance on the market must have been the decisive criteria why some 77% of the objects found new owners - all of them with great increase rates. Additionally, this section included highlights by, among others, Heinrich Campendonk, Karl Hofer, Alexander Kanoldt, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Walter Leistikow, Franz Marc, Henri Matisse, Gabriele Münter, Emil Nolde and Oskar Schlemmer.

With total proceeds of € 1.5 million*, the department of 19th Century Art was very successful. The new concept that puts the focus on art from the 19th and early 20th century surely has a good share in this success. The interest in this era is constantly growing and the high-quality range of offers was well-received. Both a sales quota of 80% by lots and around 40% first time buyers speak for themselves. With a result of € 300,000* Franz von Stuck's oil painting "Frühling", which realized a ten-fold of its calling price, was the auction's star. Besides half a dozen other objects by Stuck, works by artist such as Heinrich Bürkel, Jan Chelminski, Edouard Léon Cortès, Albert Flamm, Caspar David Friedrich, Ludwig von Hofmann, Alexander Koester, Wilhelm (Guillaume) Koller, Wilhelm Kuhnert and Albert Weisgerber also saw sharp increases.

Total proceeds of more than € 1.9 million* provided utmost satisfaction in the section of Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints, a result that not only excels last spring's figures by € 400,000* but also is the department's best spring result ever. Christoph Calaminus, the department head, explains: "I am delighted that we were able to expand the slightly rising tendency from spring 2015. What is decisive for this success is the high quality of our range of offerings that attracted some 28% first time buyers, 8% more than last spring".

Next to three works by Franz von Stuck, all sold and with increases of up to a six-fold of the calling price, more than half a dozen works by Alexander Koester were also particularly in demand in the section of art from the 19th century. They were sold with excellent increases, first and foremost his "Erpel mit Enten und Küken am Seeufer", which climbed from a starting price of € 16,000 to a result of € 106,250*.

The TOP results of all departments for the first half of 2016

Since it was founded in 1954, Ketterer Kunst has been on the forefront of auction houses dealing in Fine Art and Rare Books, with its headquarters in Munich, and a branch in Hamburg. Representatives' offices in Berlin, Heidelberg, Dusseldorf, Italy and Los Angeles (USA) have contributed substantially to the company's success. In addition, exhibitions, special thematic and charity auctions as well as monthly online auctions at www.ketterer-internet-auction.com are regular events at Ketterer Kunst. Robert Ketterer is owner and CEO of Ketterer Kunst.

*    The rounded result is the hammer price + 25 % premium for hammer prices up to € 500.000.
**   Unlike other German auction houses Ketterer Kunst holds its auctions on several days, which is reflected by the total proceeds of around € 21 million* for the spring 2016 season.
***  The percentage indicates the ration between calling price (reserve price) and hammer price.