COLOGNE, GERMANY.- On the first of December more than 450 photographs from the 19th up to the 21st century will be presented by VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions in Cologne. This offer includes works by notable national and international artists, 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 photographs from the 19th century, especially photographs with roman architecture- and landscape scenery originating during the mid 1800s. Included are two rare salt prints by Giacomo Caneva (Estimate: 1 200€) as well as a large-format view on Tivoli by Robert McPherson (Estimate: 2 000€). One architecture photograph dating from the 1860s is by Charles Marville (Estimate: 1 200€). One large-format original print by the photographer Gustave Le Gray depicting Tour St. Jacques in Paris is estimated 3 000 €. Fritz Kühn is represented with a beautiful still life (Estimate: 5 000€).

Traditionally VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions offers a wide range of photographs from the 1920s to the 1960s. The œuvre 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, rare works depicting the Ore mountains up to his later works (Estimates up to 3 800€). Interesting are also the nature studies of Alfred Ehrhardts (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 (Estimates: 800€ - 2 400€). An outstanding piece by August Sander is a unique 1940-reproduction of an original photomontage (Estimate: 9 000€). Excellent architecture images of the 1950s by the »Fotowerkstätte Hugo Schmölz« (Estimate up to 1 300€) are also presented.

The »Gruppe 'fotoform'« is represented with works by Peter Keetman (Estimates: 2 000€ - 3 600€), including several large-format original prints form his first series on the VW-works (Estimates up to 2 400€). Significant works by to Toni Schneiders (Estimates:1 600€ - 2 000€) and Ludwig Windstosser (Estimates 1 400€ - 2 200€) are also offered. Just as notable is the series of original prints by the photographer Heinrich Riebesehl (Estimates 2 000€ - 2400€). Special emphasis should be laid on the impressive black/white prints from the 1970/1980s by the Becher student Tata Ronkholz, of whom representative works of the series "Trinkhallen", "Schaufenster" and "Industrietore" are offered.

Among the sales offers are also a wide range of works by international photographers: Two impressive portraits by Diane Arbus are estimated on respectively 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 (Estimate: 32 000 €). Also remarkable are one vintage print by Brassaï (Estimate: 5 000 €) and several original prints by Cecil Beaton (Estimates 1 200 € - 2 800 € ). One later print of "Kismet and Mirror" by the photographer Bill Brandt is estimated 6 000 €. The oevre of the American photoartist Lee Friedlander is represented by three impressing works (Estimate each 4 000 €.) Two portrait studies by Man Ray dating from 1941 are estimated each 1 200 €.

Similar to the last sales, VAN HAM can once again stage a manifold range of works of contemporary photography: Included are for example large-format works by Laurenz Berges (Estimates 1 200€ - 7 000€), decorative still lives by Claus Goedicke (Estimates 1 800€ - 3 800€) and very early icons by Jörg Sasse (Estimates 1800 - 5 000€). International contemporary artists presented are for example Miriam Bäckström (Estimates each 3000€), Philip-Lorca diCorcia (Estimates each 12 000€), Nan Goldin (Estimates 6 000 - 8 000€) and Beat Streuli (Estimates 9 000€ - 9 500€).