GENEVA.- The November – December auction series at Koller features a large sculpture by Chinese conceptual artist and dissident Ai Weiwei; important works by Gabriele Münter, one of the founders of the Blaue Reiter movement; an oil on canvas by Keith Haring from his European travels in the mid-80s, and a large painting by Swiss artist Albert Anker estimated at approximately $1 million. Koller’s first stand-alone Photographs auction in almost a decade features portraits of personalities such as Muhammed Ali, Desmond Tutu and Marilyn Monroe by master photographers like Richard Avedon and Thomas Hoepker. Rare works by Tiffany can be found in the Art Deco & Art Nouveau auction, and innovations and complications by Patek Philippe are featured in the auction of Watches. The Jewellery auction will offer some world-class rubies and diamonds, as well as highly attractive signed pieces by David Webb, Van Cleef & Arpels and René Kern.

PostWar & Contemporary – Prints and Multiples
Ai Weiwei, Louise Bourgeois and Banksy
The 3 December auction at Koller features an oil and acrylic on canvas by Keith Haring, “Red, Yellow, Blue #22” from 1987 (lot 3477), which was formerly in the collection of Austrian singer-songwriter, actor and poet André Heller. It was given to Heller on the occasion of the birth of his son, and is dedicated by the artist (CHF 300 000 – 400 000).

Another highlight of the sale is Ai Wewei’s sculpture “Untitled (Foster Divina)” from 2010 (lot 3486). Inspired by Renaissance texts on ideal proportions, and assembled in precious Huanghuali wood using an ancient Chinese technique that employs neither nails nor glue, the pierced sphere seems to float in space even while it rests on the ground. Ai Weiwei is one of the most important conceptual artists of our time, and the sense of precisely enclosed space in this work recalls certain of his architectural projects, such as the “Bird’s Nest” stadium in Beijing (CHF 180 000 – 260 000).

The auction also contains an interesting selection of three-dimensional works by other contemporary artists such as Daniel Spoerri (“Die Spieler”, lot 3453, CHF 60 000 – 120 000); Markus Lüpertz (“Susanne”, lot 3432, CHF 60 000 – 80 000), and Lucio Fontana (“Natura morta”, lot 3436, CHF 60 000 – 80 000).

Among the prints in the auction is an outstanding work by Louis Bourgeois, “Girl with Hair”. Created in 2007-2009 with Archival dyes on silk, it is part of an edition of only twelve (lot 3744, CHF 50 000 – 70 000). Andy Warhol is represented by several works in this sale, notably the now-classic “Flowers” from 1970 (lot 3733, CHF 18 000 – 24 000), and from the street artist phenomenon Banksy comes “Choose Your Weapon” (lot 5041), in which the weapon in question is a pit bull wielded by a figure in a hooded sweatshirt (CHF 12 000 – 18 000).

Impressionist & Modern Art
Important works by a founder of the Blaue Reiter
The Modern Art auction on 2 December features three works from as many distinct periods in the career of German Expressionist artist Gabriele Münter. One of the founders of the Blaue Reiter movement, Münter painted “Vereiste Strasse” (Icy Street) in 1911, the year of the group’s first exhibition, and another version of the painting offered here was exhibited in that historic show (lot 3220, CHF 200 000 – 300 000). The other two works by Münter in this sale, “Zigeunerwagen II” (Gypsy Wagon II) from 1920, and “Rotes Moos” (Red Bog) from 1959, clearly document the artist’s stylistic shift towards abstraction. In the latter work, Münter uses shimmering planes of color and dark contours to define the landscape, the composition of which nevertheless recalls certain works from her early Blaue Reiter period (lots 3225 and 3229, CHF 100 000 – 150 000 each).

Other important works in the auction include a magnificent floral still life by German impressionist Lovis Corinth (lot 3214, CHF 220 000 – 280 000), and a festive Bastille Day scene by Raoul Dufy, “Le Bal populaire” from 1906 (lot 3209, CHF 330 000 – 380 000).

Photographs
Stand-alone auction with celebrity portraits
Koller Auctions is holding its first stand-alone photography auction in almost a decade, and the 440-lot catalogue is certain to keep photography collectors busy for weeks to come. Among the rarer works in the December 3 auction is a print of Muhammed Ali showing off his right fist by Thomas Hoepker, a counterpart to the more widely known “left fist” photo (lot 1716, CHF 8 000 – 12 000). A portrait of Archbishop Desmond Tutu by Richard Avedon (lot 1727) is particularly striking and also quite rare; it was made for an advertising campaign on risk management for Winterthur which featured a quote by Tutu: “Of course faith is a risk – but one which I would never risk living without” (CHF 12 000 – 18 000).

Other highlights include the hard-to-find volume 1 of Richard Hamilton’s “Polaroid Portraits” (lot 1714, CHF 8 000 – 12 000). Made between 1968 and 1974, the book contains an original polaroid self-portrait of Hamilton followed by 32 reproductions of portraits made by his artist friends, including John Lennon, Jasper Johns, Francis Bacon and Andy Warhol (CHF 8 000 – 12 000).

Swiss Art
Museum-quality work by Albert Anker
Albert Anker once again holds the pole position in the Swiss Art auction at Koller on 2 December, with a touching genre scene depicting an elderly woman spinning, next to her sleeping grandson (lot 3032, CHF 900 000 – 1.4 million). A sublime view of the Stockhorn (lot 3083) by Cuno Amiet was painted as a sort of art therapy by the artist, as it was the first work he created after more than fifty of his early paintings were destroyed in a catastrophic fire in Munich’s Glaspalast (CHF 350 000 – 450 000).

Among the other works in this sale which includes works by Swiss artists such as Félix Vallotton, François Bocion and Augusto & Giovanni Giacometti, is a particularly striking portrait of a Valais woman and her daughters in traditional dress by Ernest Bieler, a master of this genre (lot 3077, CHF 250 000 – 350 000).

Art Deco & Art Nouveau
Masterworks from Tiffany Studios
Several highly interesting Tiffany Studios creations will be offered in the 2 December auction at Koller, including a bronze and Favrile glass “Nautilus / Mermaid” lamp from circa 1910 (lot 1077, CHF 35 000 – 45 000). Cast after a model by the talented art nouveau sculptor Louis Gudebrod, this was among the first electrified light fixtures produced by Tiffany Studios. The complex form of the lampshade and its consequent fragility prevented this model from being created in great numbers, and examples today are relatively rare to the market.

Among the works by Emile Gallé offered in this sale are a large table lamp with cherry branch motifs (lot 1080A, CHF 25 000 – 35 000), and a beautiful acid-etched overlay glass vase with aquatic decoration (lot 1076, CHF 10 000 – 15 000).

Design
Mod tapestries and rare models
Tapestries from the Modern period have become fashionable elements of interior design, and among the examples in the 2 December auction, a colourful example by Friedensreich Hundertwasser is typical of the Austrian artist’s unique style (lot 1271, CHF 20 000 – 30 000).

A “Credenza Persiana”cupboard by Marco Bagnoli designed for Meta Memphis (the successor to the Memphis Milano movement cherished by David Bowie) is one of only three examples produced to this day (lot 1270, CHF 20 000 – 30 000).

Many interesting works by von Marc Newson can also be found in this sale, such as the suite of four "Bucky II" chairs, inspired by a Frank Lloyd Wright model, "Bobie 1".

Jewellery
Signed pieces by Van Cleef, René Kern and David Webb
An enamel, gemstone and diamond necklace with two matching bracelets by the highly sought-after jewellery designer David Webb will be offered in the 30 November auction at Koller, and displays his signature Maltese cross (lot 2077, CHF 50 000 – 70 000). Among the other signed pieces is an Art Deco diamond bracelet by Van Cleef & Arpels (lot 2206). It dates from circa 1930 and is set with over 29 carats of diamonds.

A Burmese ruby and diamond ring promises to be one of the most popular lots in the auction, with its very fine unheated ruby of 7.05 ct (lot 2122, CHF 90 000 – 140 000). The top lot of the sale is a teardrop-shaped 6.18 ct diamond ring signed by Dusseldorf jeweller René Kern, created circa 1969 (lot 2024, CHF 160 000 – 240 000).

Watches
Rarities by Patek Philippe
One of the first waterproof chronographs made by Patek Philippe is the top lot of the watches auction on 30 November (lot 2574). Dating from 1961, it has a two-tone dial and bears an estimate of CHF 180 000 – 300 000.

A Patek Philippe gold pocket watch from 1911 is another rarity in this sale (lot 2565). It has a minute repeater complication, sweep chronograph hand and minute counter, and an estimate of CHF 17 000 – 28 000.

Wine and Vintage on 16 November at Koller Geneva
Time for a Kelly bag and one of the best Burgundy wines
On 16 November, Koller Geneva will host two auctions: Fashion, Luxury & Vintage, and Fine Wine. The Vintage auction features fashion creations and designer handbags by the likes of Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Fendi, and Lanvin. Among the highlights are a Hermes mini Kelly bag in burgundy red crocodile skin (lot 776, CHF 15 000 –17 000) and a Hermes “Constance” bag in emerald green crocodile (lot 777, CHF 13 000 – 15 000). Koller Geneva will also present a series of 1980s fashion photographs from the collection of Swiss journalist Gingi Herzog-Beck, documenting the seasonal collections of Christian Dior, Lanvin, Givenchy and Chanel.

The Fine Wine auction presents over 400 lots from the most prestigious vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux, including a bottle of 1993 Romanée Conti (lot 120, CHF 7 500 – 9 500), a nice vertical selection of Côte Rôtie, Guigal la Mouline, between 1983 and 1995 (lots 128 and 129, CHF 2 400 – 2 900 and 1 500 – 2 100), and many fine mature Bordeaux wines including Giscours 1989, Lascombes 1996, and a magnum of Prieuré Lichine 1990 (lot 196, CHF 100 – 140).