MUNICH.- With overall proceeds of some € 1,15 million in the auction of Old Masters & Art from the 19th century, the result could have hardly been better, because this is more than twice of last year's result. All in all 60% of the lots were sold and 40% first time buyers have been recorded.

Top 5

€ 195.000* starting price: € 96.000 no. 76: Francisco de Goya – Los Caprichos

€ 98.000* starting price: € 12.000 no. 212: Maurice Denis – Dans la Forêt ...

€ 88.000* starting price: € 16.000 no. 222: Josef von Brandt – Durchgegangen

€ 49.000* starting price: € 16.000 no. 225: Oskar Mulley – Bergbauernhof

€ 40.000* starting price: € 9.000 no. 208: Gabriel C. von Max-Geburtstagsblumen ...

The list of results is led by Francisco de Goya's masterpiece “Los Caprichos” (lot 76) in its first edition from 1799. The series of 80 aquatint etchings was particularly popular with bidders from the German language region and exceeded expectations by far. Owed to his persistency, a collector from Northern Germany could stop the hot bidding skirmish at a result of € 195.000*, accordingly, he more than doubled the starting price of € 96.000.

The same success was achieved by a copy from the sixth edition of “Los Caprichos” (lot 77), which was called up at € 9.600 and soared to a result of € 25.000*. An American art trader, whose written bid hadn't been entirely used up, relegated competitors to places second and beyond

The auction's most sought-after work will call the same country its new home, too: A packed auction room, a large number of written bids and some 20 phone bidders entered the race for the oil painting “Dans la Forêt (Baignade à la Mare aux Canes)” (Los 212) by Maurice Denis from 1898/99. The result of 98.000* is proof of the high recognition the painting deserves, as it is an eight-fold of the starting price of € 12.000.

Five and a half times its calling price was achieved by Josef von Brandt's oil painting “Durchgegangen” (lot 222). Just as hard as it was to curb the team of horses depicted, was it to stop the enthusiasm of the bidders, of which half a dozen were on the phones, mainly from Germany and Poland. A new client from Poland who was present in the auction room eventually honored the tempestuous work with a result of € 88.000*.

Another fine increase was realized by Oskar Mulley's “Bergbauernhof” (Mountain Farmstead, lot 225) in an impressive landscape. The oil painting, which was in particular demand in Germany and Austria, climbed from € 16.000 to a result of € 49.000*. Eventually, a private collector from North Rhine-Westphalia made for a three-fold of the starting price.

A collector from the American West Coast was willing to pay four times the calling price in order to make the oil painting “Geburtstagsblumen (Affe mit Anemonen)” by Gabriel Cornelius von Max (lot 208) sure for himself. His written bid, which still had some more room, relegated collectors and art traders from Europe to places second and beyond. Now the eyecatcher, which also adorned the cover of the catalog, will cross the Atlantic and find a new home in the U.S.A.

As the graphic sheets by Francisco de Goya had already proven, it was big names and quality that also counted for works on paper in the section of Old Masters. While Harmensz. Rembrand van Rijn's etching “Selbstbildnis mit der Schärpe um den Hals“ (lot 55) was called up at € 5.600 and achieved a result of € 12.500* granted by a Swiss collector, Albrecht Dürer (lots 42-47) was represented with half a dozen works. All were sold with excellent increases. Especially worthwhile mentioning is the copper engraving “Der heilige Antonius vor der Stadt“ (lot 42), which was extremely well-liked by an art trader from the American East Coast. The work soared from the starting price of € 8.000 to a result of € 16.250* in no time. In the end he won against a number of fellow countrymen and a bidder from Israel.

Especially sought-after were a dozen etchings by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, led by sheet IV of the series of fourteen sheets called “Invenzioni Capric di Carceri“ (The Grand Piazza)“ (lot 62). An art dealer from Great Britain entered the race at the calling price of € 4.000 and in the end won against colleagues from the U.S.A. and Switzerland at a result of € 17.500*.