Decorative Arts

Our decorative arts auctions cover all facets of European decorative arts: Antique and modern porcelain and ceramics as well as faience, glass, silver, tapestries, furniture, and design. Our decorative arts auctions take place twice annually in Cologne. Our spring season is also traditionally opened by the yearly “Prussian Sale“, in which items sharing a connection to Berlin come under the hammer at our branch in the German capital. We also regularly organise special auctions and private sales of decorative arts, such as the renowned Twinight Collection in 2019 – without doubt one of the finest private collections of European porcelain worldwide – or the Schwarzach collection, one of the most important collections of mortars in Europe.

Our experienced decorative arts experts are available to answer any questions you may have. Feel free organise a face to face meeting in one of our branches or reach out to us via e-mail or telephone. In the case of larger collections, we are also happy to organise a home visit.

E-Mail: kunstgewerbe@lempertz.com

Our regular decorative arts auctions take place twice a year in spring and autumn in Cologne. In addition to this, every spring we also organise our traditional Prussian Sale in Berlin. All of the decorative arts items coming up for sale in these auctions, which include fine silver, porcelain, and important antiques, are presented prior to the sales in exclusive auction catalogues.

In previous years, Lempertz have been able to establish themselves as market leader for Royal Berlin (KPM) porcelain and have continued to uphold this position season after season. Numerous private collectors have entrusted their treasures to us, including Richard Baron Cohen, the renowned New York businessman who over the course of 20 years was able to amass the most important collection of KPM porcelain worldwide. The Twinight Collection, which was exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, sold for a total sum of € 3.6 million – a sensation on the German auction market that attracted the attention of numerous important international museums and collectors.

If you are looking to sell a decorative arts object from your collection for a reasonable price, or would simply appreciate a free and non-binding valuation, please contact us. Our experts specialise in various domains such as porcelain, silver, furniture, and design and are happy to help you. Our valuation form is available as an easy way of contacting us.

Every year the exceptional objects in our decorative arts auctions achieve high prices. For example a bureau mazarin by Nicholas Sageot from a Belgian aristocratic collection which sold for € 55,000 or a cylinder bureau by David Roentgen made in the 1790s which achieved € 198,000. A large Charles II silver tazza made in 1671 in the workshop of the London goldsmith William Fowle reached a result of € 91,000 and a highly important KPM porcelain vase from 1838 painted with eight views of Berlin rose to achieve a final result of € 275,000 (all prices incl. buyer's premium).

Have your artworks appraised free of charge and without obligation by our specialists at our Expert Days. Here you can find our upcoming dates.