“Bares for Rares”
The expertise is terrific. But a cold shower awaits the seller in the dealer room
Thomas Schneller was amazed when he heard the expertise for his two pictures on “Bares for Rares”.
© ZDF
Expert Colmar Schulte-Goltz promised him 2000 to 2400 for two paintings. Inspired, salesman Thomas Schneller went into the dealership – and was surprised.
“That is Bauhaus”, judges Horst Lichter with a confident look at the two serigraphs by Josef Albers – and even impresses the expert Colmar Schulte-Goltz. “Now and then there are moments when I keep something,” says the moderator proudly.
Thomas Schneller brought the pictures with him from Essen. They had been in the family for 30 years but never went well with the facility. Now the 56-year-old wants to find a place for the works of art.
The expert is enthusiastic about the work, it is typical of its author. “Josef Albers is one of the most important non-representational artists,” explains Schulte-Goltz. The pictures are about special shapes, such as squares of different sizes in relation to one another. Albers worked on it all his life.
An art lesson at “Bares for Rares”
In 1933 the painter emigrated to the USA and brought the Bauhaus teaching to the New World, the expert reports. He has summarized his findings in a large font, “Interaction of Color”. The art connoisseur explains that the interaction of color described therein is well expressed in the two works at hand. However, Schulte-Goltz has to pour some water into the wine: The condition of the two pictures is not that good.
That is why Thomas Schneller has a target price of 300 euros in mind. “Pro image would be great. Together I would have to live with.” The expert gives him hope for much more – and estimates the two works of art at 2000 to 2400 euros. “Dream, as you used to say,” he says to the lights.
But things are not going as well as expected in the dealer room. Julian Schmitz-Avila starts with 250 euros. Because the guest grimaces in disappointment, he apologizes afterwards: “We have to start somewhere.”
It goes a little higher. But at 600 euros the end of the line has been reached. For better or worse, Schneller has to agree to the sale.
At least he can comfort himself with the fact that he would have been happy with over 600 euros before the expertise. Accordingly, he assesses the business calmly: “I think I can be more than satisfied with the price,” says the Essen native.
source: “Bares for Rares” in the ZDF media library