VAN HAM Company History
- Carola van Ham
A company with pioneering spirit
In 1959 the art historian Carola van Ham founded the auction house "Kunsthaus am Museum" in her hometown Cologne. She had studied at the University of Cologne, worked at the auction house Lempertz, Cologne, and for many years was assistant to the auctioneer Franz A. Menna. When Mr. Menna retired in 1958, Ms. van Ham continued the tradition of his company as Europe's first female auctioneer. This was a very daring project as at this time just the monthly rent amounted up to two years income. Colleagues in the art world, hitherto a male domain, assumed that her company would exist no longer than the first two or three years. However Ms. van Ham's sound knowledge of art history and her enormous commercial dexterity enabled her to turn the "Kunsthaus am Museum" into a successful enterprise becoming one of the most important auction houses in Germany.
Important contributors
In 1960 Ms. van Ham employed the art historian Dr. Werner Stopp who made an exceptional contribution to the development of the house. A former fellow student of Ms. van Ham, he was active as a restorer after completing his doctorate. His change of profession meant a great leap forward for the young auction house. Dr. Stopp established with his very sound knowledge the department of Old Masters and 19th Century Paintings. Even in the earliest stages he emphasised the 19th Century paintings which were still underestimated in the early 1960's. In 1970 the company was transformed into a general partnership and Dr. Stopp became a business partner.
In the early 1970's after her marriage with the businessman Hansjörg Eisenbeis, Ms. van Ham privately relocated from Cologne to the German town of Kassel. She, however, not only continued the business but also fostered her social engagements in Cologne. She was active as a amateur judge in commercial law for over 25 years and was also a member of the examination committee for apprentices in the art market, a traineeship which she had initiated herself. With the same enthusiasm she devoted herself to the traffic department of Cologne and the economy council of the Christian Democratic Party CDU. Only in 1997 she put down her role as a sworn expert for antiques due to old age.
A new Generation
In 1995 her son Markus Eisenbeis joined the staff of "Kunsthaus am Museum - Carola van Ham" as a member of the management. After a two year apprenticeship at the bank Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie., Cologne, he studied Art History, Classical Archaeology and Economics at the University of Bonn and at the University College, London. During his studies he gathered international experience in the auction business working at Christie's, London, and at the Etude Jean-Louis Picard (today Etude PIASA), Paris.
In 1996 the house changed into a limited partnership with Mr. Eisenbeis being the exclusive responsible shareholder. This made it possible for Mrs. van Ham - Eisenbeis to retire and also for Dr. Stopp to work significantly less than before. The fact that the change took place so smoothly was not only achieved by Ms. van Ham's sound experience but also by the enthusiasm and engagement of the very dedicated staff; Reinhard Singer, successor to Dr. Stopp, must be specially mentioned in this respect, as he made a great contribution to the successful expansion of the Old Master Department.
While Markus Eisenbeis treasured the tradition of the house, he simultaneously converted the family business to a modern auction house - established on the international arts market. In line with the renewal of the company image, the accomplishments of Ms. van Ham was acknowledged in changing the company name from "Kunsthaus am Museum" to "Carola van Ham".
The Record Year 1997
In 1997 the company celebrated first international success; with a hammer price of 1,51 million DM (€ 772.050) for the painting "Hafen von Jaffa", the main work of the German orientalist Gustav Bauernfeind, a threefold record was achieved: VAN HAM achieved hitherto the highest price paid for a work by this artist and at the same time the highest price ever paid for a painting dating from the 19th century in Germany. Thus at the end of 1997 the total turnover of 16 Mio. was 50% higher than that of the previous year.
Building a network of representatives
In 1998 a network of representatives was built: Dr. Barbara Haubold, previously a coworker, situated in Munich, Southern Germany and Petra Versteegh-Kühner, author of the Catalogue Raisonné of Gustav Bauernfeind in Belgium and the Netherlands, are at our clients' disposal. On the japanese market our clients are assisted by Mr. Yoshinori Tsukuda (DAA GmbH) in Tokyo. In Switzerland, too, VAN HAM is represented: our competent expert Rof Welti is at your disposal in Zurich.
The new location
In June 1999 the company left its traditional location next to the "Museum für angewandte Kunst" (Museum for Applied Arts, formerly Wallraf-Richartz Museum) and moved to the more spacious and modern premises in Köln-Bayental. Along with the relocation came the change of name during the fall of1999 relating traditionalism and innovation: "VAN HAM Fine Art Auctions".
The new location (Schönhauser Straße 10-16) offers ideal conditions for auctions and exhibitions. The blue prints were designed by the renowned engineer Jürg Steiner, Berlin, and the architect Jochen Siebel, Haan. The largest sale room encompassing 360 square metres at a height of six metres has museum quality and was described as "the most spacious auction room in Germany" by the German newspaper Handelsblatt (14. September 1999).
In addition the premises have parking facilities and offer easy access by public transport. The official opening celebration in October 1999 was held not only to celebrate the formal opening of the new location but also the company's 40th anniversary.
Trendsetting co-orparations
In autumn 1999 Trude Kleefisch, owner of an auction house in Cologne specialized in Asiatics and Markus Eisenbeis organized an exceptional event: Two auctions, Ms. Kleefisch's "Asiatics" and Van Ham's "Carpets, Antiquities and Asiatics", took place at the same time on the premises of VAN HAM.
Just as exceptional is the partnership that was established in the same year with an Internet company specializing in art auctions. Mr. Eisenbeis, share-holder of this company, is the first auctioneer in Germany using this innovative means.
The Photography Department
In the autumn of the year 2000 VAN HAM staged it’s first auction of “Photography” together with the autumn sale of “Modern and Contemporary Art”. The department is headed by Anne Ganteführer-Trier, former curator at the August-Sander-Foundation in Cologne. Her last project as curator was the fabulous exhibition “Zeitgenossen – August Sander und die Kunstszene im Rheinland der 20er Jahre”, which was shown in the Josef-Haubrich-Kunsthalle in Cologne.
The Record Year 2001
In June 2001 VAN HAM attained great success. The sale of the Old Master Painting “The Dentist” by the Rembrandt-pupil Gerrit Dou broke all records. The small painting (36,8 x 26,6 cm) reached a result of 5, 7 Mio. DM (€ 2.914.363) and thus was and still remains not only the most expensive painting ever to be sold at a German auction, but also the most expensive work by Gerrit Dou. VAN HAM concluded the year 2001 with an annual turnover of about 25 Million DM (€ 12.782.297), raising former year’s result by 25 Percent.
Modern and Contemporary Art
In 2002 the department "Modern and Contemporary Art" was restructured and expanded. This important and seminal branch was soon to become one of the key mainstays of our house and was able to triplify its turnover by 2006.
Estate Jewellery
2003 marks the start of the establishment of the department "Estate Jewellery", a branch often neglegted by german auctioneers. Thanx to the excellent contribution of our specialist, Ms. Beate Kalisch, we were able to become the leading auction house of this segment in Germany.
VAN HAM Art Publications
A very special innovation is the founding of VAN HAM Art Publications. In 1991 VAN HAM Art Publications already published the documentation on the artist Fritz Klimsch by Hermann Braun. A new light on the works of the renowned painter and graphic artist Karl Hofer(1878-1955) is casted by VAN HAM Art Publications and the Author Karl Bernhard Wohlert in April 2008 - the publication to the comprehensive catalogue raisonné of paintings. Further publications such as the catalogue raisonné of drawings and watercolours by Karl Hofer are already in preparation.
New representative office in Luxemburg
With the new founding of the company „VAN HAM Fine Art Auctioneer“ in Luxemburg in 2008, VAN HAM is the only international auctioneer in Grand Duchy. Countess Marina von Kamarowsky is our on-site representative and with her sound knowledge of the national and international arts market she was representative of Christies in Brussels and Luxemburg for 18 years. Now she conducts the new mainstay of VAN HAM in Luxemburg. On October the 12th the new era was inaugurated with a precious jewelry auction in the „Château de Sept Fontaines”. Herewith VAN HAM aims to expand his role as market leader in the field of jewelry in Germany.
Memberships
Bundesverband Deutscher Kunstversteigerer
Rheinischer Kunsthändler- Verbund (RKV) e.V.
Bundesverbund des Deutschen Kunst- & Antiquitätenhandels e.V.
Ever more often the question arises of how to deal with warranties and guarantees in connection with art auctions. As a reaction to this the association of German art auctioneers (Bundesverband der deutschen Kunstversteigerer) recommended its members to guarantee the authenticity of an offered object up to one year after the acceptance of a bid. Van Ham Fine Art Auctions was one of the first action houses to follow this recommendation. As art theft and in particular Holocaust looted art is more and more to the fore, we joined the ART LOSS REGISTER, the worldwide largest database for stolen objects of art and looted art. VAN HAM has all objects with a value exceeding € 1.000 checked by the ART LOSS REGISTER, in order to give you additional safety for your purchases of art.
An invitation to wander and discover: the 'Kunstmeile Süd'. Fine arts and photography, architecture and design, literature, theatre, dance and music are the themes lively and currently being presented and discussed. Along the 'Kunstmeile Süd' numerous art- and cultural institutions can be visited, from the Rheinau docks to the restaurant 'KAP am Südkai' along the Rhine passing through Schönhauser Street up to the 'Deutschlandfunk' broadcasting studios.
Visit the 'Kunstmeile Süd'
For further information please contact:
Markus Eisenbeis
Licensed and Sworn Auctioneer | vice president of the Bundesverbands der deutschen Kunstversteigerer (Association of German Art Auctioneers).
VAN HAM Kunstauktionen
Schönhauser Str. 10-16
D- 50968 Cologne
Tel.: +49 · 221 · 92 58 62-13
Fax: +49 · 221 · 92 58 62-4
E-Mail: info@van-ham.com