Preliminary report 298th sale

298th Sale – March 8./9., 2024

Art collection of a large Mannheim automation company, Part II & estates from the region

The spring auction at K&K – Auktionen in Heidelberg on March 8th and 9th, 2024 is getting closer. The focus this time is once again on modern art, including the second part of the collection of a large Mannheim automation company, as well as Asian art, African art, historical art, porcelain, glass and much more.

Highlights of modern art include two large city landscapes by Michael Bach “Alex/Night” and “Karfunkel” in oil (estimates: € 1200-1800 / reserve prices: € 440 / 550) and the relief “You and I” made of artificial marble by Arno Breker (estimate: € 2500-3000 / reserve price: € 750), Madeleine Dietz’ large three-part spatial sculpture made of dried earth and steel from 1998 (estimate: € 2500-3000 / reserve price: € 750), three works made of synthetic resin by Herbert Hamak “C104”, “C105”, “C106” from 1990 (each estimate: € 1200-1500 / reserve price: € 500), over 30 works by Horst Janssen, watercolors, drawings and etchings from 1958 to 1991 (estimate: € 300-4000 / reserve prices: € 20-480), another outstanding acrylic portrait “Berta” by Imi Knoebel from 1991 (estimate: € 30000-40000 / reserve price: €9,000), the unusually large acrylic painting by Fritz Köthe “Total”, Eddie Irvine on Jordan from 1996 (estimate: € 12000-13000 / reserve price: € 4800), Sigmar Polkes color offset “Heron” from 1996 (estimate: € 2000-3000 / reserve price: € 20), Aleksander Roszkowski’s large-format oil painting “Laocoon” and untitled from 1989/88 (estimate: € 3000-5000 / reserve prices: € 900/800) and Thomas Ruff’s “Zycles”, digital Ditone pigment print from 2008 (estimate: € 2800-3000/ reserve price : € 20), to name just a few.

Particularly noteworthy is a female nude in oil by Hans Purmann, standing from 1914 from the Barbara Göpel estate, Munich, well documented (estimate: € 20000-25000 / reserve price: € 7500). For collectors of Wilhelm Hempfing there is reason to be happy: 9 oil paintings by the artist, including female nudes, landscapes, and portraits from the 1920s to 30s (estimates: € 400-1200 / reserve prices: € 100-360) are up for auction. The view of Venice with the St. Maria della Salute in oil by Otto Pippel is probably not so far away in time (estimate: € 4000-5000 / reserve price: € 650).

Up for auction in the section of old fine arts are, among other things, a large figurative bronze door knocker attributed to the Renaissance sculptor Jacopo Sansovino, probably Venice around 1550 (estimate: € 3500-4000 / reserve price: € 800) and the bust of “Louise Brongniart” by the sculptor Jean Antoine Houdon around 1780 in marble, enclosed catalog “Masterpieces from private collections in Baden-Württemberg”, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart 1958/59 with illustration (estimate: € 1500-1600 / reserve price: € 500).

The poetry folder “Sternsache” with 6 original drawings by Fidus and handwritten poems by Theowill Übelacker can be described as a rare unique piece from around 1900 (estimate: € 3000-4000 / reserve price: € 750). This is also the case with Adam Olearius’ travel report, “Vermehrte newe Beschreibung der Muskowitischen und Persischen Reyse” from 1656 with the attached part “Persianischer Rosenthal Schich Saadi durch Adam Olearius” from 1654 (estimate: € 6000-7000 / reserve price: € 800) in the old books sector.

This time, among the rich offering of non-European art, in addition to Chinese porcelain and Tibetan sacred art, there is also a lot of ethnological interest from the indigenous peoples of North America to the tribal art of Polynesia.

For those interested in history, there is a museum replica of the order chain of the knightly community “Our Lady of the Swan” in the display case (estimate: € 2800-3500 / reserve price: € 700), a complete chapka for a non-commissioned officer of the Royal Bavarian 2nd Uhlan Regiment Ansbach with further accessories (estimate: € 2500-3500 / reserve price: € 1500) and the second part of a museum collection of the German medals “Iron Cross” from 1870 to 1945 (estimate: € 150-1000 / reserve prices: € 20-90).
As always, porcelain from the 18th to 20th centuries, silver, glass, beautiful jewelry and high-quality wristwatches come to call. The large hunting group may be referred to as rarity “Winning a fight”, in which a wild boar is rushed by dogs, designed by János Tóth for Herend (estimate: € 8000-9000 / reserve price: € 1800 / new price: approx. € 24000); Furthermore, large dining services by KPM, Berlin designs “Osier”, “Neuosier” and “Kurland” and much more are on offer. The Hublot MDM Elegant, Swiss Automatic Chronometer (estimate: € 2500-3000 / Reserve price: € 1500) and the Tudor Glamor Double Date Automatic (estimate: € 2500-3000 / reserve price: € 1000) mentioned.