Hampel Fine Art Auctions

About Hampel Fine Art Auctions

Hampel Fine Art Auctions is one of Europe's leading auction houses, headquartered in the elegant Villa Hampel in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1989, the house has grown from a regional Bavarian operation into an internationally recognized destination for fine art, antiques, Asian art, and luxury objects, conducting at least four major auction weeks each year with pre-sale exhibitions that draw collectors and dealers from around the world.

History

The founding of Hampel in 1989 came at an opportune moment, just as the reunification of Germany was reshaping the European art market. The house quickly established itself on the regional scene and gained broader recognition in 1994 with the high-profile sale of the art objects and inventory of the Munich Grand Hotel Continental, an auction that attracted extensive media coverage and put Hampel firmly on the map beyond Munich.

From the outset, Hampel distinguished itself with a focus on Old Master paintings, a category that remains a cornerstone of the house's identity. Notable consignments over the years include, in 2005, what was described as probably the largest private collection of works by the Berlin artist Max Liebermann, and in 2016, art and designer objects from the Basel villa of collector Carl Laszlo, as well as the inventory of the Kitzbühel villa belonging to Munich restaurant legend Gerd Käfer.

Specialist departments

Additional departments were systematically added over the years, and today Hampel operates more than twenty specialist departments, encompassing Old Master paintings and drawings, Impressionist and modern art, contemporary art, sculpture, furniture and interior design, Russian art, African art, Asian art, ceramics, silver, watches, jewellery, and luxury and design objects, among others.

The Asian art department has become one of Hampel's particular strengths, with regular sales of Chinese, Japanese, and Southeast Asian works attracting strong interest from Asian and international collectors. The furniture department handles everything from Renaissance pieces to eighteenth-century French court furniture and Biedermeier interiors, and the house has also developed notable expertise in Russian art, reflecting Munich's historical connections to Eastern European collector communities.

Auctions and buyer's premium

Hampel's saleroom in Villa Hampel provides an atmospheric setting for auctions and exhibitions, its grand rooms allowing extensive displays of furniture, sculpture, and decorative arts in a domestic-scale environment. Major auction weeks typically include evening sales for the highest-value lots alongside day sales across multiple categories, attracting bidders from across Europe and increasingly from Asia and the Americas.

The buyer's premium at Hampel is a flat 29.5 percent of the hammer price, inclusive of statutory German value-added tax, a straightforward structure without the tiered brackets used by some competitors. Over the last year, the house has offered thousands of lots across numerous sales with total annual volume exceeding 30 million dollars.

Selling and online bidding

For sellers, consigning to Hampel begins with a free appraisal. Items can be assessed in person at Villa Hampel, or photographs and descriptions can be submitted through the house's website. Hampel's specialists cover all twenty-plus departments and can advise on the best sale format, timing, and reserve price. The house handles all aspects of cataloguing, photography, exhibition, and marketing, and seller commissions are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Online bidding is available through the Hampel website and through third-party platforms including The Saleroom and Invaluable. The house provides comprehensive online catalogues with detailed descriptions and multiple photographs per lot, condition reports are available on request, and telephone and absentee bidding are also offered.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hampel sell?

More than twenty categories, with particular depth in Old Masters, Asian art, and fine furniture.

What is Hampel's buyer's premium?

A flat 29.5 percent of the hammer price, inclusive of German VAT.

How do sellers consign items to Hampel?

A free appraisal is available in person at Villa Hampel or online, with seller commissions negotiated individually.