Latest News Articles by Jonathan Franks
Venetian glass smashes estimate
05 May 2025Two enticingly estimated, early glasses from a west German private collection were fiercely contested in the online sale held by Wendl (21% buyer’s premium) in Rudolstadt.
Only Woodwiss of Birmingham clock known comes to auction in Germany
21 April 2025An impressive 19th century longcase regulator attracted several bidders at a sale held by Metz (28/25% buyer’s premium) in Heidelberg.
Gray table could be the prototype
21 April 2025An unmistakable piece of modern furniture is the highlight of the sale on May 16 at Lempertz in Cologne.
French clock ticks happily along among legendary chaos
21 April 2025Nineteenth century French creation features Fall of Phaeton Greek myth
Bidders eye up ducal armband
21 April 2025Star lot of a section of a recent Neumeister’s (30/27/25% buyer’s premium) auction in Munich devoted to the legacy of Alexander Eugen, Duke of Württemberg, who died last year at the age of 91, was literally one of the eyecatchers.
Lievens’ version of Susanna bathing surfaces at Cologne saleroom
21 April 2025The biblical story of Susanna and the Elders, also known as Susanna Bathing, has inspired artists throughout the centuries, among them Jan Lievens who painted this version in c.1630.
Centrepiece given to Prussian politician was thought to be a snub to Bismarck
21 April 2025As a token of their appreciation for his work as administrator of the region around the German town of Geldern, a few miles from the Dutch border, 16 mayors from local towns presented the Prussian politician and bureaucrat Georg von Eerde with a monumental silver centrepiece.
Plants pressed into action to create Harder’s Herbaria
14 April 2025Two unusual books took top honours at a Neumeister (30/27/25% buyer’s premium) auction in Munich, both achieving multiples of the estimates.
Classic Sengantini mountain view climbs to €150,000 hammer price
24 March 2025A landscape by Gottardo Guido Segantini (1882-1974) was the highly fought-after favourite at Döbritz (26% buyer’s premium) in Frankfurt on February 22.
Zsolnay snakes in with a jardiniere
24 March 2025The continuing interest of international collectors for ceramics by the Zsolnay factory in Pécs in south-west Hungary could be seen at a recent auction held by Mehlis (24% buyer’s premium) in Plauen.
Mona Lisa 'taken as tourist souvenir'
24 March 2025One of the factors that made the Mona Lisa probably the most-visited work of art in the world was that the painting was stolen from the Louvre in 1911.
Good bit of monkey money business
24 March 2025One of several known versions of the most famous painting by Gabriel von Max (1840-1915) caused quite a stir at Plückbaum (26.5% buyer’s premium) in Bonn.
Masterful Gruber stained glass stands out
24 March 2025Windows from 1923 by a master of the craft mark the move from Art Nouveau to Art Deco
Bracket clock by Huguenot talent emerges in Hanover
17 March 2025The revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the French king Louis XIV in 1685 led to the massive exodus of Huguenots, many of whom moved to Great Britain.
Different type of expressionism: three extraordinary character heads
17 March 2025Produced by a German-Austrian sculptor in the 18th century, three intriguing marble sculptures were among the attractions of the sale at EP Deutsch (24% buyer’s premium) on January 31 in Vienna.
Sew recognisable as a Jennens & Bettridge production
17 March 2025A mid-19th century papier-mâché globe sewing table from Birmingham, part of the legacy of a South American collector, has found its way to Heidelberg, where it is being sold by Metz on March 21-22.
Bridal beaker for a double toast
17 March 2025Since the 16th century, silversmiths in Germany have produced so-called Brautbecher (bridal beakers), a tradition that still exists today.
Paperweight princess comes to Munich sale
17 March 2025A large part of the auction at Neumeister in Munich on March 19-20 is devoted to works of art from the legacy of Alexander Eugen, Duke of Württemberg who died last year at the age of 91.
Calculating machine design did not add value
17 March 2025One of the highlights of the March 22 sale at Auction Team Breker in Cologne is a pioneering mid-19th century calculating machine.
