Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
German couple’s collection generates a white-glove response
11 September 2026Hargesheimer (25% buyer’s premium) in Düsseldorf devoted an auction to the sale of 61 works of art from the collection of a couple from Wiesbaden who had spent many decades amassing sculptures and old master paintings.
Portrait miniature of last emperor of Austro-Hungary brings demand
11 September 2026Scheublein (27% buyer’s premium) offered 1000 lots from the collection of a branch of the Bavarian royal family this summer.
Osiris to have a new life after German auction
11 September 2026Bidders from as far afield as Saudi Arabia vied for an ancient Egyptian bronze of the deity Osiris at Kunst & Kuriosa (21% buyer’s premium) in Heidelberg.
Bamboo flute in tune with bidders at a Brussels auction
11 September 2026The prosaic description ‘flute stopper’ hardly does justice to the function and ritual importance of the carved wooden artefact sold by Lempertz (27% buyer’s premium).
‘Snow White’s Coffin’ on song: 1950s compact stereo system performs at auction
11 September 2026When it was introduced to the public in 1956 by the electronics company Braun, the compact stereo system Phonosuper was a spectacular design innovation.
Sickert soars to six figure sum in Swiss sale
11 September 2026The furniture in the background of many paintings by Walter Sickert has proved to be a useful aid when dating his works.
Classic chairs by European creators are pushed beyond estimates in Vienna
11 September 2026Chairs by leading early 20th century designers were in high demand at an online sale at Dorotheum (25% buyer’s premium) in Vienna this summer.
Ducret passion for faience passed from father to son
28 August 2026The name Ducret has been closely connected to the world of faience ever since the 1950s, when Siegfried Ducret published the first of numerous indispensable handbooks for collectors of and dealers in European porcelain and faience.
Sintenis entranced by transformational story
14 August 2026The artist Renée Sintenis (1888-1965) had a very varied career.
Warmer side of sculptor Lehmbruck comes out in a sculpture of his wife
14 August 2026The sculptor Wilhelm Lehmbruck (1881-1919) is primarily known for creating figures which embody pain and suffering.
Weathered rose girl finds place in the sun
14 August 2026One of the highlights at the sale held by Henry’s (25% buyer’s premium) on May 30 in Mutterstadt was a large, electroplated cast of a sculpture created by Heinrich Waderé for an art show in the Glaspalast in Munich.
Bidders go for lively bronze lots produced by German animalier designers
14 August 2026Proud penguins and contemplative cows were popular subjects for two German animaliers
Mystery nobleman portrait known only in black and white photos sells at six times estimate
07 August 2026For almost half a century, a portrait of a young nobleman by the Flemish artist Bernard van Orley had been hidden.
Two early owners of French pen and ink drawing possibly by Boucher can be traced
07 August 2026An unattributed French 18th century pen and ink drawing was highly sought after at the auction held by Bassenge (25% buyer’s premium) in Berlin.
Kandinsky villa view finds new home at €4.4m
07 August 2026After almost a century since it was last shown in public, a painting by Wassily Kandinsky, Villa Seeburg am Staffelsee from 1911 topped the evening sale at Ketterer (29/23/15% buyer’s premium) in Munich.
Estimate for Werner left far behind the final price
07 August 2026Kinsky (25% buyer’s premium) in Vienna completely underestimated the international interest for a painting by the late 17th century Swiss artist Joseph Werner (1637-1710) offered in an art and antiques sale this summer.
Museum director amassed impressive artworks
07 August 2026The one-time director of the State Museum of Baden in south-west Germany, Rudolf Schnellbach, was obviously an astute buyer of art.
Flintlock hunting rifle decorated with a flourish
07 August 2026Several bidders set their sights on a late 18th century flintlock hunting rifle which was offered by Dawo (25.95% buyer’s premium) in Saarbrücken.
Mozart memorabilia flies to 10 times the estimate
24 July 2026By coincidence, in the very week that a recently discovered work by Mozart – a previously unknown composition for harp and flute – was premiered in Paris, a piece of Mozart ephemera caused a stir in Vienna.
Viennese Secession poster successes in a Munich saleroom include Klimt, Schiele and Roller creations
17 July 2026A group of four original lithograph posters advertising exhibitions of the Viennese Secession was well received at Karl & Faber (27% buyer’s premium) in Munich.