Ursula Rohringer, specialist for glass and porcelain, and Ulrich Prinz, specialist for furniture, about their favourite objects in the upcoming works of art auction on 26 April 2017.
Vase by Johann Joachim Kändler
In 1740 Johann Joachim Kändler created a prestigious ensemble of three lidded vases and two jugs commissioned by Augustus III. The ensemble was intended as a valuable gift to Louis XV, a gift that you would present only to high-ranking persons on special occasions, and it bore his portrait as well as the coats of arms of Bourbon and Navarre.
The vase is particularly superb and beautiful, yet not too flamboyant. It features suspended flower branches casually positioned on the front and back, a very modern look.
Our vase was produced around 100 years later, probably in a limited edition. It is in perfect condition, practically impossible to find on the art market and therefore something truly special.
Biedermeier flute/watch writing desk
This flute-clock secretaire combines several things that fascinate me as an expert.
The first is its excellent, near-original condition. The piece has not been altered either technically or structurally, and even its substance has been spared potential damage from poor restoration work.
The signatures and dating make it very easy to identify both the location and time of its making, fulfilling a necessary precondition for well-founded, productive research. Such research allows us to confirm assumptions and preconceived opinions, which is one of the nicest, most fulfilling aspects of expert work.
Adding to this extraordinary piece of furniture are the technical components. The clock, cylinder- and flute-playing musical mechanisms are enclosed in a mahogany body with carvings of rosewood, and there is an astonishing degree of uniformity and harmony … The opportunity to work with pieces like this is one of the great joys of expert life.
