Auction catalog
An auction catalog is a directory of the objects offered for auction at auction. It is primarily used to provide advance information to potential interested parties, but also to document collections or as a reference work. In parallel to the auction catalogs printed and bound in book or magazine form, online catalogs are increasingly appearing on the Internet . In the online presence, not only can objects and article descriptions be viewed, but bids can also be submitted.
description
Auction catalogs are typically used for rather high-priced collector's items e.g. B. in the field of art objects , numismatics or philately , but also for antiques . The objects offered for auction are described in more or less detail. As a rule, the catalogs now contain color images of the objects. In some cases the starting prices or minimum prices are given, but sometimes there is only the open comment "against bid". The list of known previous owners is often given as the so-called provenance , because this can add value - objects from known owners often achieve higher bids than comparable items without a prominent origin. On the other hand, sometimes only vague information is given for reasons of discretion (e.g. "from southern German aristocratic property" or similar). In the case of particularly exclusive collectibles, additional background information about the object may be included.
Depending on the type of auction, there are basically two different types of auction catalogs:
- "Name Sale" catalogs, for example for an auction of an extensive stamp collection of a famous collector or the auction of the inventory of a castle, etc.
- Catalogs for the upcoming auctions of an auction house, the auction objects can come from different sources.
At auctions of larger auction houses there are often several different auction catalogs per auction. There may be specialized catalogs for different categories of objects (e.g. paintings, furniture, porcelain, etc.) or alternatively for different collections or larger items. In the case of particularly exclusive individual collectibles, there are sometimes separate catalogs with background information, such as the previous owner's story, previous magazine articles or test reports and authenticity reports. In the case of paintings, for example, a positive opinion from a relevant expert can add value to the artist in question.
After the auctions, lists with results prices are sometimes sent to the catalog buyers. In the meantime, however, the auction houses often no longer send out lists of results because the resulting prices are now available online.
Auction catalogs are often important documentation for scientific research, as many of the items described and depicted in them were unknown before the auction and their whereabouts can no longer be determined after the auction. The composition of historical collections or e.g. B. Entire lock fittings can often only be reconstructed using auction catalogs. Auction catalogs are often used to research the provenance of works of art, which is particularly important for identifying looted art .
They can also serve as a guide for the prices of objects, both for the current value of an object and for price developments in the past. For this reason, historical auction catalogs are also digitized today in order to make them accessible for research purposes, e.g. B. in the project “Art - Auctions - Provenances. The German art trade as reflected in the auction catalogs from 1901 to 1929 ”For more recent auction results, there are various databases from which, for example, the prices obtained for works by a particular artist in recent years can be determined.
Last but not least, high-quality auction catalogs are also collectibles themselves. Private individuals and specialist libraries sometimes collect catalogs, especially from auctions by renowned collectors or famous collections or collectibles.
literature
- Bibliotheque Forney, Paris. Catalog des catalogs de ventes d'art , Hall, Boston 1972; a directory of around 14,000 auction catalogs from 1778 to 1971 in two volumes
- Karl-Heinz Knupfer: A little history of the auction catalog and the auctions. In: Werner Schäfke: Kunsthaus Lempertz , 2015, pp. 130–139
- Hans Dieter Gebauer: Book auctions in Germany in the 17th century , Bouvier, Bonn 1981, ISBN 3416015576
Web links
- Bibliographies for antiquarian, auction and art catalogs
- Yale University Library: Historical sales catalogs (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ First German "Name Sales" stamp auction 100 years ago | DGPT. Retrieved March 30, 2018 . In: Das Archiv No. 3/2008, pp. 70–71 by Jens Riedel
- ^ SLUB Dresden: German Sales 1901-1945. Accessed March 30, 2018 (German).