Lempertz
Germany's oldest auction house and the world's oldest family-run auction firm.
Lempertz: Germany's Oldest Auction House
Kunsthaus Lempertz is the world's oldest family-owned auction house, now in its sixth generation, headquartered in Cologne, Germany. Its roots trace back to 1798, when Johann Matthias Heberle founded an antiquarian bookshop with an auction department. The firm has operated continuously since the first Lempertz auction in 1845, building an unbroken legacy that spans nearly two centuries of art market history.
From Bookshop to Auction House
The company's origins lie in Heberle's antiquarian business in the Rhineland. After Heberle's death in 1840, his employee Heinrich Lempertz took over the company. In 1844, Heinrich's brother Mathias Lempertz received a concession to establish a branch in Bonn, and the first Lempertz auction was held on 18 November 1844. The landmark 1845 auction of the library of August Wilhelm Schlegel—the renowned translator of Shakespeare—established the firm's scholarly reputation. Subsequent sales of the estates of Ernst Moritz Arndt and a 15th-century Nibelungen manuscript (acquired by the Royal Library in Berlin) cemented Lempertz as a house of cultural significance.
In 1875, Peter Hanstein, an employee of Mathias Lempertz, purchased the firm and gradually shifted operations from Bonn to Cologne, where a branch opened in 1902. The Hanstein family has owned and operated the house ever since, maintaining the Lempertz name as a mark of continuity.
Specialties and Departments
Lempertz conducts approximately 14 auctions per year across a broad spectrum: Old Masters, modern and contemporary art, photography, applied arts, and East Asian art. The Asian art department is a particular strength, reflecting Cologne's historical role as a center for Asian art dealing in Germany. The house has strong expertise in Rhineland and broader German art, as well as post-war and contemporary international works.
| Category | Lempertz Strength | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Old Masters | Northern European painting, drawings | €5,000–€1M+ |
| Modern Art | German Expressionism, classical modernism | €10,000–€5M+ |
| Contemporary Art | Post-war German and international | €5,000–€2M+ |
| East Asian Art | Chinese, Japanese, Korean | €1,000–€500K+ |
| Photography | 19th–21st century | €1,000–€200K+ |
| Applied Arts | Furniture, silver, ceramics | €500–€100K+ |
International Presence
Beyond its Cologne headquarters, Lempertz operates a second auction venue in Berlin and holds sales in Brussels. Representative offices in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Paris, Tokyo, and Shanghai support its international reach. This network allows the house to serve consignors and buyers across Europe and Asia, particularly for the Asian art department's increasingly global clientele.
How Lempertz Works
Consignors can submit items for evaluation at any Lempertz office or through the firm's online submission form. Specialists provide confidential assessments and recommend appropriate sale placement. Items are catalogued with scholarly research, exhibited at pre-sale viewings, and offered at live auction with online bidding options. Lempertz publishes detailed printed catalogues that are valued by collectors and scholars as reference material.
Who Should Use Lempertz
Lempertz is the natural choice for sellers of German art, Rhineland material, and East Asian art. Estates with diverse collections combining Old Masters, modern art, and decorative arts will find a house capable of handling all categories with authority. Collectors seeking alternatives to the London and New York duopoly will find strong specialist knowledge and a committed European buyer base. The house's Berlin and Brussels salerooms also make it accessible to collectors in those markets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Lempertz traces its history to 1798, with the first auction under the Lempertz name held in 1845. It has been continuously family-owned since 1875, making it the world's oldest family-run auction house, now in its sixth generation under the Hanstein family.
Yes. Lempertz has a dedicated East Asian art department that is one of the strongest in Germany, covering Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art and antiques. The firm has representative offices in Tokyo and Shanghai to support this specialty.
Lempertz holds auctions at its headquarters in Cologne, at its Berlin saleroom, and in Brussels. Around 14 auctions are conducted annually across these venues, with online bidding available for all sales.
Yes. Lempertz accepts online submissions with photographs and descriptions through their website. You can also arrange in-person evaluations at any of their offices in Cologne, Berlin, Brussels, or through their international representatives.
Both are leading German houses for modern art, but they have different profiles. Grisebach in Berlin is focused primarily on modern and contemporary art and holds the German auction record. Lempertz in Cologne covers a broader range including Old Masters, applied arts, and Asian art, alongside its modern art programme. The choice often depends on the specific artist and the type of collection being sold.
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