VIENNA.- Dorotheum, the leading auction house in the German-speaking region, announced another highly successful year in 2019.

Record Prices Achieved
Items achieving hammer prices in excess of a €1m this season included a work painted by the most celebrated artist of the Ottoman Empire, Osman Hamdi Bey. His “Dame Turque de Constantinople”, dated 1881, reached an outstanding €1,770,300. In the Old Masters Department, a painting of the Madonna and Child, attributed to an “Associate of Raphael” captured the interest of the market and greatly surpassed its estimate, realizing a price of €1.66m. Elsewhere in Dorotheum, a highly desirable classic car, the 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL, known as the "Gullwing", also topped the million mark, reaching €1,067,000.

Popular Choice
There was great demand this year for 19th century paintings, modern and contemporary art. Among the top prizes were pieces by Jean Dubuffet and Piero Manzoni, both of which achieved €735,300. High prices were also reached for works by Kazuo Shiraga (€ 511,259), Otto Piene, Giacomo Balla, Fernando Botero and Ivan K. Aivazovsky, Alfred von Wierusz-Kowalski and Jean Francois Portaels.

Glittering results for Jewellery
Two eye-catching pieces from a former Habsburg property attracted a lot of attention for the Jewellery Department. A diadem and corsage made of oriental pearls and diamonds, once the property of the favourite daughter of Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth of Austria, the Archduchess Marie Valerie, was sold for a total of €600,000.

Exceeding Expectations
The Vintage Sale at Dorotheum delivered the best results since the department was launched. The top price of €37,800 was made by a Hermès Kelly-Bag 35, dated before 1950. In the Coin Department, two very rare Russian gold medals, from 1881 and 1883, reached a total of €300,000. Two imperial medals, also commanded very high prices: the Star Cross Order of Empress Charlotte of Mexico made €161,900 and the Order of the Golden Fleece, owned by Maximilian of Mexico, reached €137,500.

International Presence
Dorotheum has continued this year to show commitment its numerous sponsorship activities. International highlights include supporting Renate Bertlmann's Austrian contribution to the Venice Biennale and, as for the last 15 years, Dorotheum continues to be a proud sponsor of VIENNA ART WEEK.