Auctions and their history

World of Glass of the Auction House Fischer

Bavaria was always famous for its glass manufacturers. The art of glass making originated here as early as in XIV century. Since that time, those glorious traditions were constantly developing, and the Bavarian forest was often called the "Glass forest". Nowadays a Bavarian town of Heilbronn regularly hosts auctions dedicated to beautiful glass pieces and also Russian art.

The auction house Dr. Jurgen Fischer was founded in 1976 in Heil-bronn. It was started out as a small family business by Dr. Fischer and his wife. The sale of high quality glass from all epochs soon became the focus of the house. The diverse and exquisite programme includes Ceramics, Faiences, Porcelain of the Art Nouveau and Silver as well as Decorative Arts.

Since 1986, the auction house is situated in an idyllic place ≈ a historic symbol of the eastern Heilbronn: the Trappenseeschloesschen. An enthusiastic team organizes the sales here. The experts take care of the objects and present them in sophisticated catalogues. Viewing is possible one week before the auctions.

Today there are ten people working for the auction house. At least five auctions are held annually, three of them are mainly concentrating on European glass. Since 1989 the summer auction continually takes place in Zwiesel, the small town in the Bavarian Forest, which is best known for its glass manufactures. A special programme with subject lectures, visits to glassworks and meetings with artists makes this auction an exciting and unforgettable event.

There always were Russian objects at the sales but the Dr. Jurgen Fischer never had a specialized Russian sale before last November. Now they plan to hold this kind of sales twice a year ≈ in November-December and May.

The undoubted top lot of the 154th Dr. Fisher sale on November 26 was a rare goblet, which was sold for 450,000 euro with the pre-sale estimate of 800,000 euro. The tulip-shaped parcel-gilt standing cup and cover has a very interesting history. A Cyrillic inscription on the cup▓s foot tells that this extraordinary goblet was a present from the Russian czar Peter the Great to the prince Pjotr Prozorovski. The dedication is dated June 29, 1691.

Prince Prozorovski was the teacher of Ivan V Alexejewitsch, half-brother of Peter I. After Peter took over as regent Prozorovski was one of his few intimate friends. In 1689, the czar appointed Pjotr Prozorovskiy to the state treasurer post.

The important goblet was manufactured by a renowned Transylvanian goldsmith Sebastian Hann. High quality and fine work is typical for art pieces made by Hann. Hammer prices for other items of our sale "Russian Works of Art" exceeded the estimated costs by 300%. An important gold and silver-gilt guilloche enamel candlestick by Faberge was sold for 25,000 euro (estimate 8,000 euro) and an icon with enameled silver icon setting fetched 9,800 euro (estimate 2,800 euro).

The next sale will feature about 250 lots of Russian Art ≈ paintings, gold and silver, enamel, glass, icons and porcelain of the Imperial and Soviet Period. Among auctioned items will be a silver and guilloche enamel Faberge clock with a white enamel dial with arabic numerals and pierced hands. The purple field of the clock is decorated with rosette-centred swags hung from ribbon-ties pinned by seed perls. Estimate is 75,000 euro. Another interesting lot will be a Meissen plate from St. Andreas Service made in 1744. This plate was presented by the Saxonian elector and king of Poland August III to the czarina Elisabeth of Russia for dynasty marriage of Peter III and princess Sofia ≈ future Catherine the Great. There are descriptions of the Order of Saint Andrei Pervozvanny and the eagles. The plate has an inventory number of the Gatchina Museum.

The next auction will be held on May 13.