Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
Tribal art market expands beyond its traditional selling boundaries
27 May 2019The market for tribal art covering works from Africa, Oceania and the Americas has a global reach these days. While particular centres form cultural and commercial hubs (New York, Paris and Brussels in particular), you can find fairs and shows, shops and auctions around the world. Recent sale highlights and previews from some of the upcoming auctions and fairs are featured here.
Flintlock pistols marked London hail from the Balkans
29 April 2019The inscription London on the barrels of this pair of 19th century, silver-mounted flintlock pistols is entirely spurious.
Watch takes inspiration from play that became an opera
29 April 2019The chain of artistic influences that led to the decoration of a gold-enamel watch made by John Kenable of Frith Street in London in c.1800 can be traced back to 1766.
Traditional Russian drinking vessel served up at auction
29 April 2019Russian works of art are coming up for sale at Dr Fischer in Heilbronn on May 17.
Russian collectors likely to keep an eye on Roubaud
29 April 2019The painter Franz Roubaud (1856-1928) was born in Odessa of French parents and studied painting at the local academy and for several years in Munich. He made a name for himself with huge panoramic paintings and battle scenes.
Raise a glass to a Mozart note
29 April 2019Short message to a ‘true friend’ after opera debut appearance sells at Berlin auction house.
Marvellous Meissen collection includes Kaendler cockerel
29 April 2019It is thought that the prestigious Meissen designer Johann Joachim Kaendler drew the inspiration for his teapot in the form of a reclining cockerel from a Chinese model he found in the royal collection in Dresden.
Blunt portrayals bring sharp bidding in Munich
29 April 2019The German artist Heinrich Zille (1858-1929) was known for his caricatures and humorous and sometimes very blunt portrayals of the lower classes and demi-monde in Berlin around the beginning of the 20th century: his so-called milieu-studies.
Cologne saleroom offers 115 bronze mortars from collection
29 April 2019On May 17, Cologne auction house Lempertz is selling 115 bronze mortars from the 8th-18th centuries.
Madonna and Minerva sculptures stand out in Vienna sale
29 April 2019Two highly different examples of sculptural art caused the greatest stir at the sale of works of art at Kinsky (25% buyer’s premium) in Vienna on April 8-10. First up was the 3ft 5in (1.05m) high lime-wood sculpture of the Madonna with Child, flanked by two angels.
Lucie Rie bowl among strong selection of modern British ceramics
29 April 2019Modern British ceramics are rarely offered by German auction houses. Among the notable exceptions is the Kunst & Design Auktionshaus Schops Turowski, based in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia.
Bidders suspect an Italian hand at work
29 April 2019As a rule, Lempertz (24/20% buyer’s premium) in Cologne always opens its spring season with a sale of moderately priced Old Master and 19th century paintings.
Stamp denotes Parisian origin
29 April 2019This highly elaborate chest of drawers decorated in boulle marquetry technique with a variety of different figural and foliate motifs featured in the furniture session of a sale at Hampel (29.5% buyer’s premium) in Munich on March 28.
Casket was born in Bethlehem
29 April 2019The extensive spring sale at Schuler (20/18.6/16.6% buyer’s premium) in Zurich lasted from March 18-22. The results were as varied as the works of art on offer.
Napoleon bronze commands high price in Zurich auction
29 April 2019The biggest surprise at the sale of works of art at Koller (25/22/15% buyer’s premium) in Zurich on March 28 was the result for a bronze figure by Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier (1815-91).
Big money emerges for Hamburg coin
25 March 2019A very rare gold coin took top honours at the auction held by Künker (23% buyer’s premium) in Berlin on January 31.
PREVIEW: Vienna – Dorotheum
25 March 2019Almost 140 carpets and weaves which illustrate the differing designs of the individual tribes that make up the people of Turkmenistan are to be offered by Dorotheum in Vienna on April 9.
Padlocks secure high prices
25 March 2019Two iron padlocks caught the eye of numerous bidders at the February 28 sale at Wendl (18% buyer’s premium) in Rudolstadt.
PREVIEW: Freiburg – Peege
25 March 2019Through his numerous inventions, the Parisian craftsman Julien Leroy (1686-1759) is credited with revitalising the art of clock and watch making in the French capital and throughout the country.
PREVIEW: Cologne - Auction Team Breker
25 March 2019Contrary to popular opinion, the name of the Rock-Ola company of Chicago, which became famous for the production of distinctive jukeboxes, has no connection to rock ’n’ roll. It is in fact a fortuitous coincidence that the firm’s founder was actually called David Cullen Rockola.