collection management

Estate management

In the case of a single work of art or a collection, measures should be taken in a timely manner to determine how the corresponding assets should be managed. The administration and maintenance of privately owned assets is an important task in this context.

Estate management / appraisal

Here, a wide range of questions arise, from appraisal, storage, and preservation/restoration to the issues of sale or keeping the collection within the family. This also includes valuation in the context of inheritance division, or sale for the benefit of the estate. Likewise, tax-related aspects, donations to a museum, or the establishment of a foundation are of interest.

Our Services
In these areas, we provide advice, appraise your artwork or collection, and support you regarding meaningful additions or sales. This also includes valuation, issuing a certificate of authenticity or appraisal (e.g., for division among multiple heirs), and selling on the international art market.

Restoration

In estate management, as well as in the preservation of the value of a single work, proper restoration and protection of the artwork are of great importance. Depending on the art period and painting technique, the relevant expertise regarding the materials to be used, as well as restoring the work in a manner faithful to the original and appropriate to its time, are essential elements of truly professional and high-quality restoration.

Whether it is a graphic on paper or a painting on canvas, wood, or other materials, the respective medium must be carefully preserved according to its technical and historical components.

Our Services
Cleaning of paintings, re-stretching of canvases, repair of damaged areas in the canvas, priming, and retouching. Professional varnishing. Conservation and restoration of highly sensitive works on paper.

We have been working for years in this field with the renowned restorer and artist Matthias Hickel-Lopez. We offer a complete service to preserve your artworks, including reliable scheduling for all parties, transparent and fair pricing, and additional advice on storage and care, as well as auction preparation with our restoration certificates and notifications to insurance companies.

The work is documented with high-resolution photography, and, upon request, a video documentation (high definition) of the respective work phases and art-historical background is also produced.

Here is an excerpt from the photographic documentation of the restoration process of the key work “Vom Sturm gejagt”(Karl Raupp, 1885)

Inventory Management

A comprehensive documentation is a prerequisite for adequate insurance and for making the appropriate estate arrangements in the long term.

Our Services
KunstKontor takes care of creating the inventory for you according to scientific criteria, photographing the artworks, and providing thorough documentation.

Catalogue Raisonné / Individual Appraisal

In estate management, as well as in the liquidation of households and collections, the catalogue raisonné plays an important role. In the value-preserving care of an artist’s estate and in the assessment of artworks in general, the catalogue raisonné holds great significance.

Our Services
We compile catalogues raisonnés, covering research, photography, and cataloging of the works, through to printing and inclusion of the catalogues in the relevant libraries.

If a catalogue raisonné for an artist does not exist or is no longer up to date, the judgment of experts is relied upon to verify the authenticity of the artwork.

KunstKontor reviews existing catalogues raisonnés and, if necessary, discreetly obtains relevant expert opinions from internationally recognized specialists.