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Hamburg, March 28, 2022 (kk) – It is one of the main works of botanical book illustration: Basilius Besler‘s “Hortus Eystettensis“ from 1713. The large-size work is one of the finest flower books of all. It is now going to be called up with an estimate of € 50.000 in the Rare Books Auction at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg on May 30
The sumptuous plant catalog was made at the suggestion of the Nuremberg apothecarian Basilius Besler, who supervised the baroque garden of prince-bishop Johann Conrad von Gemmingen in Eichstätt, Bavaria. Besler made drawings of more than 1,000 different types of plants from all over the world that were cultivated there. Impressive both in terms of format and range, as well as an editorial endeavor, the “Hortus Eystettensis“ occupies an exeptional position in the history of 17th century botanical literature. Owing to beauty and clarity of the depictions, the work still enjoys great popularity today, which makes complete copies like this extremely hard to find on the market.
ARTFUL: Johannes von Valkenburg made the splendid “A-Initial“ as early as around 1300. The Franciscan Minorite was an acknowledged calligrapher and illuminator, who created the famous Cologne Gradual, which was named after him, in 1299. Today it is in possession of the Archiepiscopal Library in Cologne. The extremely beautiful initial will be called up with an estimate of € 25,000.
BIBLICAL: The first complete edition of the Luther bible in Low-German is a true gem. The Biblia germanica, published before the first complete bible in standard German, contains summaria on the New Testament by Johann Bugenhagen, and is the first work with various apocrypha and marvellous illustrated woodcuts by Erhard Altdorfer, as well as with the well-known world map “Daniels Traum“ (Daniel’s Dream). The estimate is at € 10,000.
DRAMATICAL: Friedrich Schiller‘s “Die Räuber“ is one of the most wanted books of classic literature, and it was his first still anonymously published drama. Even towards the end of the 18th, century this first edition already was a rarity, so much that the author himself had to ask his publisher Cotta for a copy when he wanted to revise the play. Now this sough-after first edition will enter the race with an estimate of € 12,000.
GAUDY: Eduardo Paolozzi‘s portfolio, which was significant for the history of Pop Art, did not come out before 1972, even though the founder of the Independant Group of Artists had already given a seminal lecture with the title “Bunk“ some twenty years earlier. In it he showed various collages of newspaper clippings, advertising materials and postcards with pin ups, in order to demonstrate that advertising agencies and the graphic design departments of business companies contributed more to the world of images than the mass of what contemporary artist produced in those days. In 1952 everything needed to develop an understanding of contemporary culture was already there: science fiction, sex, technology, cinema, mass advertising, comics, packaging. However, Paolozzi did not gain awareness of the significance of his lecture before the early 1970s, when he prepared a retrospective exhibition at the Tate for which he compiled a portfolio of the elaborately printed and facsimiled works. Never before has a completely signed copy, which will be called up with an estimate of € 25,000, been offered in an auction.
GRAPHICAL: Estimated at € 18,000, Josef Albers‘ portfolio “Formulation: Articulation I/II“ was also made in 1972. It is one of his most important accomplishments in graphic art, his late work that looks back on 40 years of creation. The sheets illustrate his most fundamental concepts as well as manifold color combinations and form variants.
COLORFUL: He was a master of color and Color Field Painting: Johannes Geccelli received numerous prizes and his name must be mentioned in one breath with renowned artists like Mark Rothko and Barnett Newman. Until May 14 Ketterer Kunst Berlin shows an exhibition of works from his estate, among them a portfolio with unique pieces by Geccelli‘s fellow artists (including Georg Baselitz) from his time as professor at the Berlin University of the Arts, which will be offered in this auction with an estimate of € 20,000.
FINALLY: The range of offers is completed by, among others, Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied‘s “Reise in das Innere Nord-America“ (estimate: € 12,000), a complete copy of the art magazine “PAN“ (estimate: € 15,000), as well as by the Hortus sanitatis (estimate: € 8,000) and Lovis Corinth‘s cycle of eight etchings “Am Walchensee“ (estimate: € 7, 000)
Preview: May 20-28, from 11 am to 5 pm and
on May 29 (by appointment) at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg
Saleroom auction: May 30 at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg
Online auction: May 18 – June 1 on www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com
Ketterer Kunst (www.kettererkunst.com and www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com) with headquarters in Munich and branches in Hamburg, Duesseldorf, Berlin as well as with a global network of representatives in, among others, the USA and Brazil, was founded in 1954. The auction house has a focus on Fine Art from the 19th to the 21st Century and Rare Books. In its market segment Ketterer Kunst is not only Germany's number one but also the leading house in the European Union. Ketterer Kunst is a specialist for German art, as well as for many international artist who are sought-after on the European market and who regularly realize record prices at Ketterer Kunst. According to the annual 2021 artprice database, Ketterer Kunst is the only and best-selling family business represented in the global Top 15.
Your Media Contact:
Ketterer Kunst
Joseph-Wild-Str. 18
81829 Munich, Germany
Michaela Derra
phone: +49-(0)89-55244-152
e-mail: m.derra@kettererkunst.de
Dr. Rainer Ohler (1.4.-30.9.2022)
phone: +49-(0)172-4890353
e-mail: r.ohler@kettererkunst.de
Contacts in the Rare Books Department:
Ketterer Kunst GmbH
Holstenwall 5
20355 Hamburg, Germany
Christoph Calaminus / Christian Höflich
phone +49-(0)40-374961-0 / fax -66
E-Mail: infohamburg@kettererkunst.de
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