Dresdner Kunstauktionshaus Günther

DRESDENER KUNSTAUKTIONSHAUS GÜNTHER The foundation for today's art auction house GÜNTHER was laid in 1991, when the first art and antiques auction in Dresden was held on June 1, by the Munich art auction house Neumeister. Subsequently, the first branch office was established at the Käthe-Kollwitz-Ufer, initially as a representative in Dresden of the Munich parent company, run by the manager Stefan Günther, until in 1994 the independent Dresden art auction NEUMEISTER was founded and the house moved into the new premises at the Weiße Hirsch, Bautzner Landstraße 7, in the rich in tradition Park Hotel. Here, all pre-requisites were in place for a high-standard annual programme which sent out invitations every year in Spring and Autumn for auctions of art, graphics and miscellaneous objects. In addition, special auctions were held which were targeted specifically at the connoisseurs of selected fields of collections such as porcelain from Meissen, erotica or the art of individual eras such as Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) or the art of the years of the GDR. From these beginnings, an established company has developed in Saxony. Now as in the past, an extremely high value is placed on a careful listing in a catalogue of all accepted objects. In the meantime, objects arrive not only from Germany but increasingly from all over the world. In this context it is assumed that the search for Saxon art is initially done in Saxony. The same applies to the buyers, 50% of which come from Saxony - a healthy ratio in other words between local representation and cosmopolitan appeal. Furthermore, the auction house seeks close contacts with museums and research institutes. In doubtful cases, art objects of a high quality but unsecured ascribed attributes are presented to experts for an expertise report and, if necessary, for state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures, so that occasionally not only well-known names but also considerable estimated values are put up for auction. On the other hand, scientists, restaurateurs and employees of museums, who closely monitor the exhibitions which follow in quick succession and who have been able to bid successfully for many an object destined for museums, are always welcome guests in the auction house. At irregular intervals, preferably however during the summer months, exhibitions of Saxon artists are shown to ensure that the auction house, apart from its public sales is also present during the pauses between the auctions. (An exhibition, for example was dedicated to the Dresden sculptor and graphic artist Max Lachnit (1900 - 1972) whose universal artistic claim had to be re-discovered after the political turn-around and whose works of sculptures and building sculpture which have been realised within the city area of Dresden were previously known only to a few inhabitants of Dresden. Or to the artist and graphic artist Hans Richard Heinmann from the Erz Mountains (1875 - 1957), whose paintings on paper were exhibited, primarily landscapes in pastels and representations of the working world of the miners from the Erz mountains.) In addition, the art auction house in its role as publisher has already promoted three book projects of a high quality bibliophile design, which are still in print and on sale. In this way the art auction house, which from January 1, 1999 has been able to go its separate way under its own name, away from the guiding hand of the Munich house, and which currently has the reputation of being the most renowned art auction house in Saxony, is taking an active interest in the artistic happenings in the city. The KUNSTAUKTIONSHAUS GÜNTHER is happy to accept delivery of individual pieces, collections or estates at any time. Expert advice or value assessment also form part of the service. On request, the auction house will send out its publications; the catalogues can be ordered on subscription.