Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
Vase reveals a tale of romance
17 October 2022The auctioneers at Hargesheimer (28% buyer’s premium) in Dusseldorf were not expecting the broad international interest eventually generated by an 18in (45cm) high Chinese porcelain vase.
Munich 'Highlights' fair means high life
17 October 2022Since its inception, the focus of the 'Highlights' fair on Modern and Contemporary art has increased and in recent years photography dealers have also been given more space.
Lantern that meant last orders
17 October 2022A very rare form of German 17th century silver is on offer at Van Ham’s auction on November 16 in Cologne.
Tree trunk takes on different role
17 October 2022Five years after he acceded to the throne in 1873, King Albert of Saxony decided to renovate the 17th century hunting castle at Wermsdorf.
Example of the world’s first functioning lighter offered in Germany
17 October 2022Among the eye-catchers at Wendl in Rudolstadt from October 27-29 is an example of the world’s first functioning lighter.
The mysterious bi-conical bottles
17 October 2022From the late Middle Ages onwards, an unusual form of glass bottle appeared in many parts of continental Europe.
Silver candlesticks linked to Prussian royal family spotted by eagle-eyed bidders
17 October 2022On the first day of an auction held by Schloss Ahlden (26% buyer’s premium), a German collector with a passion for history saw off numerous dealers and collectors from home and abroad who had also trained their sights on a set of four silver candlesticks from the early 19th century.
Terracotta figures set for €240 taken to €62,200
17 October 2022There was obviously much more to a pair of 14 and 15in (35 and 37cm) terracotta figures offered at auction than the starting price of €240 suggested.
Swiss selection of Russian silver
17 October 2022A three-day auction held by Schuler (23/20/16% buyer’s premium) in Zurich achieved numerous notable results.
Rich harvest nine years later
17 October 2022The private collector who consigned a painting he had bought at Sotheby’s in London in 2013 to Koller (25/22/15% buyer’s premium) in Zurich for the auction on September 23 will have been most agreeably surprised by the result.
Stuttgart buyer wise to a Tibetan thangka
04 July 2022A string of high prices way over estimates emerged at a recent Asian art sale held by Nagel (24.5% buyer’s premium) in Stuttgart.
Bamberg dealers back to business at this year's festival
04 July 2022After the difficult years of the pandemic, the organisers of the Bamberger Antiquitätenwochen are hoping that this year’s event will mark a return to some form of normality.
Die Brücke group works prove sought after among German Expressionist works at Munich auction
04 July 2022Ketterer’s (25/20% buyer’s premium) recent evening sale in Munich got off to a perfect start.
More to a Chinese plate than meets the eye
04 July 2022A big surprise was in store for the owner of a Chinese lacquer plate consigned to Hermann Historica (25% buyer’s premium) in Grasbrunn, just outside Munich.
Lakshmi vendor prospers thanks to US collector's bidding
04 July 2022A US collector went way over the odds to secure a 15th century southern Indian bronze that took top honours at the Asian art sale at Lempertz (26% buyer’s premium) in Cologne.
Peacock chair struts to five figures
06 June 2022Inspired by British Windsor chairs, the Danish designer Hans J Wegner created his so-called Peacock chair in 1947.
Majorelle arrowhead table points to top-quality Art Nouveau
06 June 2022The latter years of the 19th century and the first of the 20th marked the most productive era of the French designer Louis Majorelle.
Porcelain plaque inspired by Hofmann
06 June 2022Twenty-five finely decorated porcelain plaques, several from the legacy of a German aristocratic family, are being sold at auction.
Just what the doctor ordered
06 June 2022Numerous pieces in the Asian art sale at Lempertz in Cologne on June 11 come from the collection of the German doctor Ludwig Jansen.
Alice Bailly loved both art and music
06 June 2022In 1923, soon after the Swiss avant-garde artist Alice Bailly painted her 2ft 2in x 20in (65 x 50cm) canvas La cantatrice, it was bought by the collector Friedrich Trüssel at an exhibition in Bern.