 |
||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 Available russian version |
 |
 |
|
Issues of 2008
|
|
Family auction in Germany
In 1959 the art historian Carola van Ham founded the auction house “Kunsthaus am Museum” in her hometown Cologne. She had studied at the University of Cologne, worked at the auction house Lempertz, Cologne, and for many years was assistant to the auctioneer Franz A. Menna. In 1958 when Mr. Menna retired Ms. van Ham continued the tradition of his company as Europe’s first female auctioneer. In 1995 her son Markus Eisenbeis joined the staff of “Kunsthaus am Museum — Carola van Ham” as a member of the management. In the beginning of 1997 the department of Modern and Contemporary Art was expanded. In 1998 a network of representatives was established. This includes Hamburg for Northern Germany, Munich for Southern Germany and a representative for Belgium and the Netherlands. The change of generation meant a change of the traditional family business into a modern auction house. On account of the wide ranging programme of the Old Master and Modern departments it has gained a high reputation in the art world. In 1997 the company celebrated a big success; with a hammer price of ˆ772.050 for the painting “Hafen von Jaffa”, the main work of the German orientalist Gustav Bauernfeind, a threefold record was achieved: it was hitherto the highest price paid for a work by this artist and at the same time the highest price ever paid for a painting dating from the 19th century in Germany. Thus at the end of 1997 the total turnover was 50% higher than that of the previous year. In June 1999 the company changed the name to “VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions”. An extensive internet presence was established. www.van-ham.com — a vital source of information, gives important details on how to buy and sell at Van Ham's and shows all recent richly illustrated catalogues. In autumn 1999 Trude Kleefisch, owner of an auction house specialized in Asiatics at Cologne and Markus Eisenbeis organized an exceptional event: Two auctions, Ms. Kleefisch’s “Asiatics” and Van Ham’s “Carpets, Antiquities and Asiatics”, took place at the same time at the premises of VAN HAM. In the same year another exceptional partnership was established with the Internet company ExtraLot.com specializing in art auctions. Mr. Eisenbeis, share-holder of this company, is the first auctioneer in Germany using this innovative mean. In the autumn of the year 2000 VAN HAM staged it’s first auction of “Photography” together with the autumn sale of “Modern and Contemporary Art”.
In June 2001 VAN HAM landed a great success. The sale of the Old Master Painting “The Dentist” by the Rembrandt-pupil Gerrit Dou broke all records. The small painting (36,8 x 26,6 cm) reached a result of ˆ 2.914.363 and thus was and still is not only the most expensive painting ever to be sold at a German auction, but the most expensive work by Gerrit Dou. In the year 2002 the restructuring of the department “Modern and Contemporary Art” started, coevally leading to an increase in personnel. This crucial and future-oriented sector quickly developed to one of the most important pillars of our house. From 2003 onward, the consequent and continuous development of the division “Historic Jewellery and Jewels” began: an area often left untended to on German auctions. Due to the excellent contribution of the house’ expert, it was possible for us to become the leading auction house in this branch in 2005 already. After extensive renovation during the summer, the current year is distinguished by the large anniversary auction, the 250th auction “Fine Art”. This will advance to an outstanding event on the German art market. In this year the owners of the company are once again looking forward to new challenges and as a new scion of the company they have founded VAN HAM Art Publications. They already have the pleasure to announce that VAN HAM Art Publications will issue the long awaited catalogue raisonne of the significant artist Karl Hofer in the upcoming year.
|
|
Strategic partner
Project of company 
|
|
Headquarters, Edition, Advertising department, Sale department, Information agency
 |
|
|
|