The premium lot from the Selected Works auction goes to modern art: Max Liebermann’s 1920 painting Die “Große Seestrasse in Wannsee mit Spaziergängern” went to a private collection in Germany, reaching the peak price of 745,000 EUR*. Georg Tappert’s spirited “Geisha-Revue” swept us to another high point of the evening. The competition for the 1911/13 painting was led by an American museum against bidders from Germany and beyond (709,000 EUR*). The brilliant, small-format gouache from René Magritte went to a North American collection for 500,000 EUR*. Georg Kolbe’s “Sklavin” tripled its estimated price and, after a long bidding war, found a new owner in North Rhine-Westphalia for 300,000 EUR*. Our Summer Auctions revealed distinctive interest, and lots of success, for the art of New Objectivity, and that trend continues at Grisebach. Rudolf Schlichter’s “Speedy als Madonna” from 1934 went to a collection in northern Germany for 262,500 EUR*. Curt Querner’s striking self-portrait from 1934 and Jeanne Mammen’s “Vor der Komödie am Kudamm, nachts” were acquired for 87,500 EUR* and 112,500 EUR*, respectively. The enthusiasm for New Objectivity is shared by our American audience as well. After long, competitive biddings, American collectors took Hans Grundig’s “Mädchen mit rosa Hut” from 1925 (337,500 EUR*), Franz Lenk’s “Altes Wehr” from 1930 (100,000 EUR*), and Albert Birkle’s “Kreuztragung (Friedrichstraße)” from 1924 (275,000 EUR*).
Two world records made in the Selected Works auction revealed that Contemporary Art is just as beloved as the Modern Classics. A long, international bidding war for Arnulf Rainer’s 1959 Untitled (Rotes Bild) ended with a 400,000 EUR* bid and went to a private collection in Germany. And Joseph Beuys’ “Filzanzug” from 1970 was sold for 137,500 EUR*, the highest price it has ever sold for at auction.
The Contemporary Art Auction took place on Friday evening, alongside the Modern Art Auction. Its compelling and diverse selection was embraced by many and showed splendid returns. Per Kirkeby’s large-format landscape from 2006, “Untitled”, went to Great Britain for 375,000 EUR*. From the Thomas and Raffaela von Salis collection, an Arnulf Rainer work, entitled “Monte” (1962), achieved another premium for 212,500 EUR*. Norbert Schwontkowski’s 2007 work “Im Park” sold for 112,500 EUR*, a sensational price for the artist. Other works displayed increasing value as well, such as Robert Mangold’s 1986 Untitled #5 (estimate EUR 25,000 / result EUR 100,000*) and Georg Herold’s “Kleiner Bernhardiner” from his 1985 series Deutschsprachige Gipfel (estimate EUR 6,000 / result 40,000*).
We are proud of the enormous success made by the Special Auction, which featured the Mario Calábria collection. The former Brazilian Ambassador to Germany’s collection sold nearly 100% of its lots and doubled its estimate. Spirits were high in the auction hall and on the telephones thanks to top hammer prices for works from the likes of Woty Werner (“Entspannung” 1953, estimate EUR 1,000 / result EUR 26,250*), A.R. Penck (Untitled. Before 1980, estimate EUR 30,000 / result EUR 131,250*), and Mavignier (Untitled (K.B. 47) 1961, estimate 50,000 / result 100,000 EUR*). This impressive collection will continue its offerings early next year with an Online Only Sale.
The Autumn Auction for Photography took place on December 2nd, where an unknown photographer lent the autumn atmosphere to us all. Their pictorialist work, “Herbststimmung”, attracted a lot of attention and found a new home in the United States for 50,000 EUR*. A Swiss collection took both the auction’s cover lot, Mitch Epstein’s “Flag” from 2000, for 31,250 EUR* and Saul Leiter’s “Wet Window” for 10,000 EUR* (estimate 4,000 EUR).
The top lot at the 19th Century Art Auction was Carl Gustav Carus’ “Schiffsmühle auf der Elbe bei Dresden”. The artwork, dated 1826, climbed to a staggering 137,500 EUR* and will return to its native Saxony. Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach’s painting from 1901, “Frage an die Sterne”, was met with great interest and went for 50,000 EUR* (estimate 10,000 EUR). We were thrilled to see value increases for high quality oil studies. A view of Naples by the French artist André Groux exceeded its estimate sixfold (22,500 EUR*). Anna Dorothea Therbusch’s “Selbstbildnes als Flora” (circa 1765/1768) went to a private collection in Germany for 56,240 EUR*.
Grisebach is delighted that such enthusiasm and engagement from German and international museums was present at all auctions.
With an overall result of 17,2 mil.* Grisebach can look back at a very successful autumn season.
Micaela Kapitzky
* All results incl. premium