Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
Belgian sculptor Minne much in demand at German auctions
08 January 2024The work of Belgian artist celebrated in his day is coveted by modern collectors judging by latest sales.
Dagobert Peche chandelier proves leading light at auction
08 January 2024Only a few months after several ornamental pieces of silver by the Viennese designer Dagobert Peche, one of the leading lights of the Wiener Werkstätte, caused a sensation in Düsseldorf (ATG No 2613, the auction house Kinsky (28% buyer’s premium) achieved an impressive result for a work by him.
High price despite Pechstein postponement
08 January 2024The decision by Cologne auction house Lempertz (26% buyer’s premium) to postpone the sale of Max Pechstein’s 1909 Expressionist work Selbstbildnis, liegend (Self Portrait, lying down) from June to December 1 proved to be a wise one.
Beastly netsuke nets five figures at German auction
08 January 2024While auction prices for works of art from Japan can scarcely compete with those achieved for pieces from China, the sale at Hargesheimer (28% buyer’s premium) in Düsseldorf on November 30 showed that there is still a healthy market for netsuke.
Servant portrait shows respect
18 December 2023When it was last on public view, at a Berlin exhibition in 1981, the Portrait of a Black Courtier was attributed to the early 18th century Prussian court painter Antoine Pesne.
Prince’s driving passion for railway building
18 December 2023By all accounts, the Bulgarian prince and later Tsar Ferdinand I was a passionate railway enthusiast.
Leonardo copy rocks up in Vienna
18 December 2023Plenty of potential takers emerged for an early copy of Leonardo’s 'Madonna of the Rocks' at the Dorotheum (25/20.84% buyer’s premium) sale of Old Masters.
Story behind mother of Salome once attributed to Rubens
18 December 2023Once believed to be by Rubens, work hidden away during the war is now thought to be a copy by a pupil
Pocket chronometer was Breguet built, Humboldt owned
18 December 2023The combination of a pre-eminent maker and a perfect provenance made a late 18th century pocket chronometer one of the most sought-after pieces at Dr Crott (25% buyer’s premium) in Mannheim on November 18.
The Sale sells at shock €70,000
18 December 2023The biggest surprise of Wendl’s (21% buyer’s premium) extensive general sale in Rudolstadt on October 25-28 was the seemingly never-ending exchange of bids for an early 18th century Old Master which had a starting price of €900.
Tempting connection to Turner
18 December 2023A private collector in London had his work cut out to secure a painting on offer for €2000-3000 at Nagel (29.5% buyer’s premium) in Stuttgart.
Romantic painter Friedrich’s sketchbook emerges in saleroom as a rare survivor
11 December 2023Without doubt, the sensation of the German auction season was the emergence of a sketchbook belonging to the German romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich at Grisebach (32/27% buyer’s premium) in Berlin.
Multiple attractions of Boetti
06 November 2023The textile works by Alighiero Boetti are instantly recognisable with their often geometric designs and brightly coloured embroidery.
Klapheck gets on his bike
06 November 2023Konrad Klapheck, who died at the end of July aged 88, was a pioneer of German pop art and is credited with the invention of so-called Machine Paintings.
Pierre Soulages in a dark mood (again): two previews
06 November 2023The career of the French artist Pierre Soulages spanned over 80 years. He died in 2022 at the age of 102.
Japanese weapon makers turned to peaceful pursuits
09 October 2023An unusual, late 19th century figure of a hawk took top honours at Zacke’s (30% buyer’s premium) sale of Asian works of art on September 7-8.
Traditional highlights to be found in Munich art fair
09 October 2023Now in its 14th year, the art fair Highlights is way past the status of a newcomer and has become an established up-market event in the autumn calendar.
King Louis XV portrait copies became lucrative
09 October 2023The French portrait painter Jean Baptiste van Loo (1684-1745) received numerous commissions from European royal families and aristocrats.
Meissen spiced up by a Count Brühl commission
09 October 2023Heinrich von Brühl was without doubt the most prominent patron of the porcelain manufacture in Meissen.
Santi Corsi’s painting of paintings
09 October 2023Long before the days of photo-realism, artists created remarkably accurate depictions of their subject matter.