Quittenbaum Kunstauktionen

Quittenbaum Kunstauktionen is a highly specialized Munich-based auction house that has established itself as one of Europe's premier destinations for Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, and modern design. Founded in 1998 by Askan Quittenbaum, the house draws on a family tradition in the decorative arts that stretches back to the 1950s, and its focused expertise in design and applied arts sets it apart from more generalist competitors. The story of Quittenbaum begins with Ellen Piper Quittenbaum, Askan's mother, who opened a gallery for African art in Düsseldorf in 1956. In 1968, she founded a gallery in Hamburg specializing in jewellery, Art Nouveau glass, and antiques. Askan Quittenbaum entered the family business in 1992, and together with his mother he led the gallery in Hamburg-Blankenese with a focus on Art Deco, design, and Murano glass. The decision to transition from gallery to auction house came in 1998, when the company relocated its headquarters to Munich and held its inaugural Art Nouveau auction on May 11, 1998. The following year, a landmark Bauhaus auction comprising around 400 objects established the foundation for the house's specialization in modern design. This early decision to concentrate on design, rather than competing across the full spectrum of fine art and antiques, proved prescient. As the market for twentieth-century design has grown enormously over the past two decades, Quittenbaum has been perfectly positioned to benefit. Today, Quittenbaum holds approximately four major auctions per year in Munich, supplemented by online sales. The core categories include Art Nouveau furniture, lighting, glass, and decorative objects; Art Deco furniture, sculpture, and applied arts; Bauhaus and modernist design from the early twentieth century; post-war and contemporary design from the 1950s to the present; Murano glass; decorative arts; jewellery and author's jewellery; photography; and modern and contemporary art. The house has built a particularly strong reputation in several specific areas. French Art Nouveau glass is a standout category, with Quittenbaum achieving consistently high prices for vases and objects by Émile Gallé, Daum Frères, and Lötz. Special auctions devoted to René Lalique complete the glass offering. Art Deco sculpture is another area of particular strength, with the house regularly handling important bronzes and chryselephantine figures from the 1920s and 1930s. The Bauhaus design category attracts institutional and private collectors worldwide, given the enduring importance of Bauhaus aesthetics and the relative scarcity of original pieces. Quittenbaum's intimate scale is both its charm and its competitive advantage. Unlike larger auction houses where design may be one department among many, at Quittenbaum it is the entire focus. This means that every specialist on staff has deep knowledge of the design market, and the house's collector relationships in this niche are exceptionally strong. Buyers know that Quittenbaum sales will be carefully curated and that the cataloguing will reflect genuine expertise. The buyer's premium at Quittenbaum is generally in the range of 25 to 30 percent, inclusive of German VAT, though buyers should confirm the specific rate for each sale. The house provides detailed lot descriptions, professional photography, and condition reports for its catalogues, and all items can be viewed in person during pre-sale exhibitions at the Munich saleroom. For sellers, consigning to Quittenbaum is an attractive option for anyone with significant Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, or modern design pieces. The house's specialist reputation means that consignments in these categories will be shown to the most dedicated and knowledgeable collector base in the market. Free appraisals can be arranged by contacting the Munich office or submitting photographs online. Seller commissions are negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Online bidding is supported through the Quittenbaum website and through third-party platforms including LiveAuctioneers and Invaluable. The house has embraced digital cataloguing and bidding while maintaining the personal, specialist-driven approach that collectors value. Beyond the auctions themselves, Quittenbaum contributes to the broader design community through its expertly researched catalogues, which serve as reference works for collectors and scholars. The house's deep archive of past sale results provides an invaluable resource for anyone researching the market for Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and modern design. Quittenbaum has also developed expertise in author's jewellery, a niche category covering artist-designed and handcrafted jewellery pieces that appeal to collectors at the intersection of fine art and wearable design. This category complements the house's broader focus on the decorative arts and attracts a dedicated following. The photography department, while smaller than the design divisions, offers regular sales of twentieth-century and contemporary photographs that benefit from the house's strong relationships with design-conscious collectors who often appreciate both mediums. Key questions for those considering Quittenbaum include what they sell, which is focused on Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Bauhaus, and twentieth-century design, along with related areas of decorative arts, jewellery, and photography. The fee structure includes a buyer's premium of approximately 25 to 30 percent inclusive of VAT. To consign, sellers can arrange free appraisals online or in person at the Munich saleroom. Online bidding is available through multiple platforms. What makes Quittenbaum stand out is its unmatched specialization in design and applied arts, its family heritage in the decorative arts dating to the 1950s, and its position as the leading design-focused auction house in Germany.