Anyone good with ART?..Need Help

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Hey Guys,

I have spent the last 5 hours trying to find out if a collection that was left to me is worth anything and figured I would ask for assistance in trying to find something.

Most of this is in German so you can use www.altavista.com and bablefish to translate....I know I have.

The artwork is a collection of charcoal lithographs of the masterpieces of the masters.....Mona Lisa and over 100 other famous works....very high detail and in excellent shape.

From what I gather they are from the private collection of Wilhelm Von Bode who was the curator of the bode museum which was named after him.

It is a complete collection, the artwork is amazing but I dont know anything about the old lithographs from like 1890-1905....It is a complete set with the actual tissue paper covers on each page......I would LOVE to frame some of them but figure I dont want to break up the set.

Here is what is on the front of the collection...no they are not bound together as they are all individual pieces...about 16" x 16" and is such high end detail.....all in charcoal and I believe lithograph.

I dont read german so this is making it hard for me.......

The cover of the collection says :

Meisterwerke der Malerei ( which I have translated already )

Herausgegeben von wilhelm bode

Alte Meister zweite sammlung

and at the bottom it has : Berlin W. Rich Bong Kunsruerlag

I know someone out their knows something about this collection...it is amazing and well over 100 years old....but I have no clue... so if anyone knows anything I would be most grateful.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Update-

I do not think it is worth alot...even if it is rare as I found much information doing searches with : Meisterwerke der Malerei. Alte Meister. Zweite Sammlung.

I wanted to break up the set and get the rembrant and a few other of the famous works matted and framed for the wall and was concerned I would damage a set that is worth alot......but I think I have found it for sale at a rare book store online for $ 150.00 US....but again I could be wrong...

Anyway...I want them on the wall in my office...I like old charcoal lithographs....so screw it...I am breakin it up.

[Harvey Gordon]

Paul,

Why break it up without full knowledge? Have you had them appraised?

My wife is an art teacher and was not able to shed any light for us...but if you decide to sell them (or want to donate them to an art teacher) please email me some photos. I know her students would love them as inspiration...expecially "real art".

Take care my friend...merry CHRISTmas!

[lkrausz]

I'll go as high as $1.25 for the lot....

[James H. Bushart]

Berlin W. Rich Bong Kunsruerlag

German for "What, me worry?"

I think you have acquired the lost artwork of Alfred E. Newman.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

lol.....just when you really need assistance..comedians are born...

[Paul W. Abernathy]

actually in nice frames with proper matting....will LOOK awesome on my wall....considering they cost me nothing....I can't wait to get the mona lisa on the wall...

[lkrausz]

Check your email reply's Jim...Larry

[wforsyth]

I would seriously have it appraised before doing anything with it. You just never know.

[Doug Edwards]

I agree. You would be amazed what one thinks isn't worth much will fetch these days. You have to remember a lot of old art especially from Germany was lost during WWII or fell into the hands of people who protected it because they knew what it was worth. If they are originals you could reduce their value to little more than toilet paper by letting some lackey at the frame shop get their hands on them and glue or tape them to a matte board. I was in Art School before I got my draft notice in 1968. Had plans at the time of being an artist and at times wish I had gone back once my hitch was up. The fact they have been protected by cover sheets tells me someone knew how to treat them and took care in handling them. Works of art like this have to handled with gloves and even sun light can damage them. To hang them in an office with the out gassing from the everyday chemicals in our environment would cause them to fade and the paper to yellow. The Antique Road Show has a website I believe. They have experts in every field of antiquity who can give you the information you are looking for.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Thanks Guys,

Keep in mind here that they are not originals, only reproduction in charcoal lithograph of famous works of art. If this was an original mona lisa trust me I would not put it on the wall.

I found the same book online in france for sale for $ 79.00 US dollars so it leads me to think thats about all it is worth....then found another for $ 150.00 but incomplete.....but in the end I don't think they are worth more than that.

Right now I do not have any plans on them.....I do thank you all for the comments as that is what I was looking for. I just might do as doug says and see if the antique road show is anywhere near my area at some point and see what they say...

But the GUT ( and I have a good size one ) tells me they are worth about $ 79.00 at best.....but they are NICE looking...

[wforsyth]

Are they in book format, or separate?

[James H. Bushart]

Originally Posted by pabernathy

If this was an original mona lisa trust me I would not put it on the wall.

There is only one original Mona Lisa and, if you had it at your house, you would be dead by now and the painting would be missing.

[wforsyth]

There could be a sketch of the Mona Lisa or any other work of art by the masters. Many have been found and sold for millions.

[Doug Edwards]

I would love to have some of Michangelo's "doodlings" or rough sketches of things. Apparently he was drawing non stop. If I found a treasure trove of his stuff I would do the "pee-pee" dance all the way to the bank.