Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
David depicted at the moment of triumph in sculpture form
20 October 2025A late 19th century marble figure of David with the Head of Goliath at his feet was one of the stars at Neumeister (30% buyer’s premium) in Munich this autumn.
Casket once owned by a cardinal stars in wide-ranging Swiss auction
20 October 2025Example made in Gujarat or Goa goes to a Portuguese buyer
Hoffman silver bowl proves sought after in German sale
20 October 2025Among the countless designs that Josef Hoffmann, the Viennese architect and multi-talented driving force behind the Wiener Werkstätte, executed during his long career was a bowl with two scroll handles, sometimes described as a centrepiece.
Innovative typewriter idea turned out to be all wrong
20 October 2025On January 1, 1901, the German inventor Eduard Thürey applied for a patent for his typewriter design, the layout of which was completely different to all previous forms of writing machines.
Tinplate toy bike brings a touch of romance to Bornheim
20 October 2025In the 1950s-60s, the Yamazaki Gangu company, which traded under the internationally more recognisable name IY Metal Toys, was one of the leading Japanese producers of tinplate toys.
Erzebirge pyramid built up by eight years of hard work
20 October 2025Although the tradition of wood-carving existed in the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge) in eastern Germany since the 1100s, it was not until the 19th century that the production of intricately crafted wooden folk-art became a fully fledged house industry.
Goblet sums up the busy Sigismund
29 September 2025Sigismund III Vasa (1566-1632) was a man of many parts. His father was King John III of Sweden; his mother Catherine was the daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland.
Very different styles of Meissen
29 September 2025Vase and clock produced around the same time nevertheless display significant design variation
Goth’s striking lady makes another auction impact
29 September 2025The distinctive 'Portrait of a Lady' by the Hungarian artist Imre Goth was star of the show at an auction at Mehlis (24% buyer’s premium) in Plauen, Germany.
Art Nouveau 'fishing' vase sells at six times estimate
29 September 2025On numerous occasions, Théodore Deck, who has often been called the father of Art Nouveau ceramics, collaborated with the sculptor and designer Joseph Chéret, brother of the painter and lithographer Jules Chéret.
Mighty mice: Zsolany vase taken to €24,000
29 September 2025In 1896, Vilmós Zsolnay, director of the eponymous ceramics factory in the south-western Hungarian city of Pécs in Hungary, presented his newly invented Eosin lustre glaze at the National Millenium Exhibition in Budapest.
Remarkable family collection takes Munch prints prices to an unprecedented level
22 September 2025Galerie Kornfeld in Bern devoted the evening session at its auction on September 11 to a remarkable collection of prints by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. It was rewarded by some equally remarkable prices.
South America fascinated artist Rugendas, not Grand Tours of Italy
22 September 2025At a time when many of his painter colleagues were drawn to Italy for their artistic inspiration, Johann Moritz Rugendas, who was born in Augsburg in 1802, headed for more distant lands.
Rosenthal rides in with an ostrich
22 September 2025Having produced tableware for over 25 years, the Bavarian porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal established an artistic department in 1908.
Bauhaus chess set brings pieces down to an abstract form
22 September 2025When Martin Gropius, the founder of the Bauhaus design school, set out the prerequisites for its products, he reduced it to the formulas ‘practical, enduring, affordable, beautiful’, and ‘form follows function’.
One of just a handful of Meissen Turkish coffee pots comes to auction
22 September 2025An unusual piece of very early Meissen is coming up for sale at Metz in Heidelberg on October 18.
Märklin collectors all fired up for prime pieces from a noble source
22 September 2025Provenance to a noble family and market freshness generate impressive results for rarities
Sizeable Guanyin figure generates large demand
11 August 2025This unusually large giltwood figure of Guanyin, the Chinese goddess of compassion and mercy, attracted numerous bidders to Nagel’s (24.5% buyer’s premium) sale of Asian art on June 6-7 in Stuttgart.
Something in the air tonight: Raynaud eroticism excites bidders
11 August 2025A classic example of fin-de-siècle eroticism caught the eye of several collectors at Hampel (29.5% buyer’s premium) on June 26 in Munich.
Sixteenth century padlock secured by buyer at five figures
11 August 2025Among the bidders’ favourites at the sale of antiques on May 16-23 at Kinsky (30% buyer’s premium) in Vienna was a highly ornate, mid-16th century German or Austrian forged iron padlock with key.