Munich, June 20, 2018, (kk) - Proceeds of around € 23.6 million*, excluding online- and direct sales, have been recorded for the seven auctions in the first term of 2018 that Ketterer Kunst held over a period of five days. This way the leading German auction house was even able to top last year's high performance level by more than € 2.5 million* once more defending its prime position among Germany's top-selling art auction houses.

"Our specialization is a critical factor of success. With art 'Made in Germany' we are able to deliver convincing results on a domestic and an international level", says auctioneer and company owner Robert Ketterer. This is underlined by clients from 35 countries, almost a dozen new auction records and scores of remarkable price increases.

The demand for high-quality objects remains strong, which "provides perfect conditions for the autumn auctions, as we have already been entrusted with high potential artworks. Thus I am already looking forward to the suspense in the saleroom", adds Robert Ketterer with an eye on the second auction term of 2018.

   TOP 10

           Result        Calling Price         Artist    –    Title  
1)    € 825,000*   € 600,000  Günther Uecker - Woge, Japan
2)    € 662,500*   € 280,000  Tony Cragg - Point of View == > World Record**
3)    € 537,500*   € 240,000   Robert Rauschenberg - County Sweep (Galvanic Suite)
4)    € 525,000*   € 220,000   Alfons Walde - Aurach bei Kitzbühel
5)    € 500,000*   € 180,000   Ernst Wilhelm Nay - Purpurmelodie
6)    € 375,000*   € 300,000   Lovis Corinth - Luzerner See am Vormittag
7)    € 350,000*   € 180,000   Victor Vasarely - Dauve
8)    € 312,500*   € 250,000   Enrico Castellani - Superficie bianca
9)    € 300,000*   € 280,000   Gerhard Richter - Fuji
10)  € 287,500*   € 180,000   Konrad Klapheck - Der Chefideologe

Another key ingredient for the success is the mix of modest estimates and a consistent quality level. This attracts bidders and eventually provides top results, as the total of well € 21 million* for art from the 20th/21st century and 45 results on or beyond the 100,000 euro line deliver proof of.

Accordingly, it was the Department of Post War /Contemporary Art that contributed a total of 22 results on or beyond the magic mark and placed eight works in the first half year’s Top 10 list. Next to Günther Uecker, whose "Woge, Japan" was lifted to a result of € 825,000*, important lots came from Robert Rauschenberg and Ernst Wilhelm Nay, as well as from Tony Cragg, who leads the list of new world records** with € 662,500* for "Point of View". Other record-breaking works came from Norbert Bisky, Katharina Grosse, Günter Fruhtrunk, François Morellet and Georg Karl Pfahler.

The Department of Modern Art saw world records** for a work by Josef Scharl and a painting by William Wauer, as well as prices in six-digit realms for works by Willi Baumeister, Lovis Corinth, Lyonel Feininger, Alexej von Jawlensky, Koloman Moser, Gabriele Münter, Emil Nolde, Hermann Max Pechstein, Christian Rohlfs, Oskar Schlemmer, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and, of course, Alfons Walde.

Total proceeds of around € 800,000* are the excellent result in the Department of 19th Century Art. The attractive range of offers was met with positive response, proven by more than 30% first time buyers and a sales quota of around 80% by lots. Next to classics from Heinrich Bürkel, Edward Theodore Compton, Franz von Defregger, Anselm Feuerbach, Karl Hagemeister, Willem Koekkoek, Adolf Lier, Edvard Munch, Charles Johann Palmié, Leo Putz, Joseph Stieler and Franz von Stuck an atmospheric railroad station scene from Hermann Pleuer provided the result of € 56,250*, which not only set a new world record** for a work by the artist, but also more than doubled the previous one.

Total sales figure of more than € 1.7 million is the very good result realized by the Department of Rare Books - Manuscripts - Autographs - Decorative Prints. According to Christoph Calaminus, auctioneer and head of the department, "continuity and quality paired with an innovative catalog concept" are the key to success. The latter especially applies to the evening auction, where sharp focus on special themes coupled with a perfect presentation of the object lead to an increased presence, which, in return, allows top prices, as the great results for late medieval manuscripts in particular deliver proof of. "In the end", states Calaminus, "it is the combination of many factors that made for this very successful auction".

The TOP Results by Department for the first half of 2018

The family company Ketterer Kunst (www.kettererkunst.com and www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com), with headquarters in Munich and branches in Hamburg, Duesseldorf, Berlin and the USA, was founded in 1954. It is one of the leading European houses for auctions of Fine Art from the 19th to the 21st Century and Rare Books. The 2017 art market review, compiled by artprice.com, ranks Ketterer Kunst on place 21 in the TOP 100 Fine Art Auction Houses worldwide. The auctioneer's clientele predominantly consists of international collectors, art dealers, curators and museums.

*    The rounded result is the hammer price + 25 % commission for hammer prices up to € 500,000. The share of the hammer price that exceeds € 500,000 is subject to a commission of + 20 % added to the commission charged for the share up to € 500,000. In the Department of Rare Books the rounded result is the hammer price + 23 percent commission.
**   Source: www.artprice.de