ZURICH.- The auctions of Modern, Contemporary & Swiss Art at Koller Zurich realised an impressive score, with total prices well above the pre-sale estimates. Strong results were recorded for an early work by Alberto Giacometti, as well as for German artists such as Max Liebermann, Emil Nolde and Ernst Wilhelm Nay. This accomplishment comes the day after a white-glove auction of Watches at Koller on 29 June, in which 100% of the lots found buyers and the prices realised totalled over 200% of the pre-sale estimates.

“These sales contained a particularly attractive selection of works, almost all from private collections and for the first time on the market,” said Cyril Koller, President of Koller Auctions and the auctioneer for the sales. “A combination like this is in itself a recipe for success, but we also noticed a strong tendency on the part of bidders to pursue their purchases more tenaciously than in the recent past.” Koller also noted a significant increase in new bidders across the board in their auctions during the first semester.

Giacometti & Son lead the pack
“Monte del Forno”, a landscape by Alberto Giacometti from the early part of the artist’s career, was the top lot of the auction series, selling just short of 1 million Swiss francs. In the same auction no less than three works by Giacometti’s father, Giovanni, sold in the six figures, led by a stunning nude in the tradition of Titian and Goya, “Theodora”, which fetched CHF 538 000. A painting by Art Brut artist Adolf Wölfli sold for CHF 216 500, far above its estimate of CHF 40 000 – 60 000.

Strong Prices for German Artists
Works by modern & contemporary German artists were particularly successful in Koller’s June sales, such as a landscape by Max Liebermann of his beloved Wannsee which sold for CHF 561 000, an expressionistic rendering of a small steamboat by Emil Nolde which fetched CHF 372 500, and a colourful work by post-war artist Ernst Wilhelm Nay, “Mit vielfältigem Gelb” (CHF 186 500).

Post-War Art Exceeds Expectations
Several results for works by international contemporary and post-war artists exceeded expectations, such as the CHF 126 500 realised for Carlos Cruz-Diez’ op-art work “Physichromie No. 668”, and Ugo Rodinone’s “Seven Small Mountains”, which fetched CHF 31 700 against a pre-sale estimate of CHF 7 000 – 10 000.

The next auction series of Modern, Contemporary & Swiss Art at Koller will be held in Zurich in December 2017.