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• Issue #114
• Article

On December 1st, more than 500 works of historic, classic and modern photography will be auctioned at Van Ham Fine Art Auctions in Cologne.

The works of famous German and international photographers of 19th through the 21st century will be on offer, including Berenice Abbott, Diane Arbus, Éduard Baldus, Cecil Beaton, Monika von Boch, Brassaï, Julia Margaret Cameron, Giacomo Caneva, Lee Friedlander, Ron Galella, Gustave Le Gray, F.C. Gundlach, Hill & Adamson, Peter Keetman, Fritz Kühn, Robert McPherson, Walter Niedermayr, Albert Renger-Patzsch, Tata Ronkholz, Jaroslav Rössler, August Sander, Jörg Sasse, Karl Hugo Schmölz, Toni Schneiders, Steven Shore, Beat Streuli, Josef Sudek, Ludwig Windstosser and Piet Zwaart.

One highlight of the upcoming fall auction is 19th-century photography, especially images with roman architecture and landscape scenes from the mid 1800s. Included are two rare salt prints by Giacomo Caneva (Lot 78 & 79, estimate: €1.200) as well as a large-format view on Tivoli by Robert McPherson (Lot 248, estimate: €2.000). One architecture photograph dating from the 1860s is by Charles Marville (Lot 259, estimate: €1.200). One large-format original print by the photographer Gustave Le Gray, depicting Tour St. Jacques in Paris, is estimated €3.000 (Lot 148). Fritz Kühn is represented with a beautiful still life (Lot 227, estimate: €5.000).

Traditionally Van Ham Fine Art Auctions offers a wide range of photographs from the 1920s to the 1960s. The oeuvre of Albert Renger-Patzsch is represented by a number of original prints stemming from several creative phases of the artist; from early flora and landscape themes and rare works depicting the Ore Mountains, up to his later works (Lot 301-317, estimates up to €3.800). Interesting are also the nature studies of Alfred Ehrhardt (Lot 104-108, estimates up to €1.000). Amongst the original prints of the Cologne photographer August Sander are a series of portraits from the 1910/20s set in the Western Woods (Lot 348-359, estimates: €800-€2.400). An outstanding piece by August Sander is a unique 1940-reproduction of an original photomontage (Lot 355, estimate: €9.000). Excellent architectural images of the 1950s by the Fotowerkstätte Hugo Schmölz (Lot 382-399, estimate up to €1.300) are also included in the sale.

The Gruppe 'fotoform' is represented with works by Peter Keetman (Lot 198-202, estimates: €2.000-€3.600), including several large-format original prints from his first series on the VW-works (Lot 203-207, estimates up to €2.400). Significant works by Toni Schneiders (Lot 401-406, estimates: €1.600-€2.000) and Ludwig Windstosser (Lot 481-487, estimates €1.400-€2.200) are also offered. Just as notable is the series of original prints by the photographer Heinrich Riebesehl (Lot 321-330, estimates €2.000-€2.400). Special emphasis should be given to the impressive black and white prints from the 1970/1980s by the Becher student Tata Ronkholz. Ronkholz is represented by several works from the series "Trinkhallen", "Schaufenster" and "Industrietore", which are offered with an estimate beginning at €1.200).

Among the auction lots are also a wide range of works by international photographers. Two impressive portraits by Diane Arbus (Lot 13 & 14) are estimated respectively at €8.000 and €9.000. One of the sale's highlights is a large-format gelatine silver print by Ansel Adams dating from the 1950s (Lot 7, estimate: €32.000). Also not to be missed are a vintage print by Brassaï (Lot 65, estimate: €5.000) and several original prints by Cecil Beaton (Lot 26-29, estimates €1.200-€2.800). One later print of "Kismet and Mirror" by the photographer Bill Brandt (Lot 64) is estimated €6.000. The oeuvre of the American photo artist Lee Friedlander is represented by three impressive works (Lot 122-124, estimate each €4.000). Two portrait studies by Man Ray (Lot 254-255) dating from 1941 are each estimated at €1.200.

Similar to the last sale, Van Ham is once again auctioning off a wide range of contemporary photography. This contemporary work includes large-format works by Laurenz Berges (Lot 36-42, estimates €1.200-€7.000), decorative still lifes by Claus Goedicke (Lot 139-141, estimates €1.800-€3.800) and very early icons by Jörg Sasse (Lot 360-367, estimates €1.800-€ 5.000).

International contemporary artists in the sale include Miriam Bäckström (Lot 17 & 18, estimates each €3.000), Philip-Lorca diCorcia (Lot 95-97, estimates each €12.000), Nan Goldin (Lot 143-145, estimates €6.000-€8.000) and Beat Streuli (Lot 426-429, estimates €9.000-€ 9.500).

The auction will be held on December 1st at 4 pm at Van Ham Fine Art Auctions, Schoenhauser Str. 10-16, 50968 Cologne, Germany, tel.: +49-(0)221-92-58-62-0 (from the U.S. dial 011 then the number without the zero in parentheses). The preview will be held from 11/24-11/30, M-F, 10am- pm; 11/25, Sa, 10am-4pm; 11/26, Su, 11am-4pm. For further information, email, Markus Eisenbeis, Van Ham's expert at: vm.eisenbeis@van-ham.com or call him at +49 (0)221-92-58-62-13. The online catalogue of the auction can be found at http://www.van-ham.com .