The three November auctions at Quittenbaum’s were characterised by a varied offer from Art Nouveau - Art Deco - Modern Classic and two German private collections – Rozenburg eggshell porcelain and Walking canes from the Ulrich Klever collection. The national and international demand led to a very satisfying gross revenue of one million Euros.

The demand for French Art Nouveau glass is still high, especially for the works of the Gallé and Daum factories in the Art Nouveau - Art Deco - Modern Classic sale. Perfectly suited to this time of year, the ‘Feuilles d’Automne’ goblet by Daum Frères, Nancy, from the year 1901, found a new owner for € 8,000. A private bidder allowed € 9,000 for the clematis flowers on the ‘Clématites’ table light around 1906-14 by Emile Gallé, Nancy. Austrian Art Nouveau glass was successful too. A Cytisus vase with turned handles by Loetz, Klostermühle, of cased salmon pink opalescent glass reached its upper estimate at € 8,000. In the choice of ceramics, a ‘Vase de Marly’ with hydrangea, designed for the Paris World Fair in 1900 by the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, reached € 5,600. The bust of Sarah Bernhardt, also dated 1900, signed by Paul François Berthoud, went into the possession of a New York based dealer for € 12,000. Emile Gallé’s signature saw to it that in the furniture selection, his ‘Clair de Lune’ music cabinet, c1903 attained an exquisite result. A German collector allowed € 22,000 for it and thus made it the auction’s most expensive piece.

The Art Nouveau works of the Art chapter were also sought-after. The portrait of ‘Mary Stuck’, an etching past 1905 with hand-coloured green bows was bought by an institution for € 1,100 (tax: € 700 – 800). Renée Sintenis’ ‘Begging dog’ sculpture, from the year 1927, went for € 3,500 (tax: € 3,500 – 4,500) into a private collection, an Italian client secured himself the ‘Circo’ oil painting by Renato Natali for € 3,600 (tax: € 1,600 – 1,700).

One collector fell for the charms of a vase with handles featuring a peacock, 1911/12, in the Rozenburg eggshell porcelain sale and bought it for its estimate of € 13,000, another vase with cover, also with a peacock, 1914, also attained € 13,000. Unusual décors and shapes of the manufacturer are still much appreciated.

The undisputed highlight of both auction days was the sale of the collection of walking canes from the estate of Ulrich Klever. The former ‘must have’ of the ‘man of the world’ seems to have stimulated the imagination of the – mostly male – bidders, which would explain the bidding combat that took place over a mechanical cane by Brigg, London, 1878. Its handle in the shape of a cockatoo’s head was sold for € 5,500 (tax: € 600-700). It is a flirting device, at the push of a button it spreads its feather, this may well have been a further incentive. The crowded floor and numerous telephone bidders increased the price for another walking cane with a handle shaped as a skull up to € 3,100 (tax: € 1,200 – 1,500), furthermore a cane of whalebone of the possession of a British whaler up to € 2,800 (tax: € 500 – 700) and a walking stick made of the tooth of a sperm whale up to € 2,600 (tax: € 1,200 – 1,400). A Freemason’s stick of yew was knocked down at € 3,000 (tax: € 1,000 – 1,200). For a riding crop of rhino horn with elaborate carving, a collector allowed € 3,200 (tax: € 500 – 700).