If you want to understand the world of the Ottonian and Salian dynasties, you have to study their coins. The Giesen Collection, one of the most important collections on this subject in recent decades, is perfectly suited for this purpose. Frankfurter Münzhandlung offers this collection in its upcoming auction.
On 18 March 2020, Künker’s auction No. 335 offers a special collection of medieval coins containing about 150 splendid bracteates. These Romanesque works of art take us back to a time when saints were regarded as fellow citizens willing to engage actively for the well-being of the community.
Robert Guiscard left behind two adult sons. The younger took the Crucifix, the older, Robert Borsa, the dominion over his father’s kingdom. In Sicily, the situation was convenient: Robert did not have to bother with princes.
Cnut the Great had formed an enormous kingdom uniting Denmark, Norvegia and England. But after his death his sons Harthacnut and “Harold Harefoot” clashed with each other. And England became their bone of contention.
By examining 12 coins we are going to stroll through Great Britain’s history – this is part 2…
Around AD 1000, Sicily was ruled and shaped by the Arabs, Lower Italy by the Byzantines and the Lombards. Then the Normans came and created a new empire in the South …
The Arabs didn’t just rule Sicily. They had such an impact on its art and culture that this influence continued to have an effect long after the expulsion of the Muslim masters. This episode tells of what Europe owes to them.
Since 1424, the so-called Heiltumsweisung (Festival of Relics) was held each year in Nuremberg. On that occasion, the Imperial Regalia were taken out of the treasure chamber and presented to …
Richard the Lionheart is known as the epitome of a heroic king. Returning from the Holy Land he was captured in Austria and to be released only for an immense ransom. This incident had devastating repercussions for England.
By examining 12 coins we are going to stroll through Great Britain’s history – this is part 3.
Beyond price – no, great art has never been beyond price. Quite the opposite actually, as it had a clearly defined price. We will see just how high that price was, looking at the most famous German minstrel – Walther von der Vogelweide.
With the Professor Helmut Hahn collection, Künker will offer an exquisite collection of bracteates in his Berlin Auction on February 1, 2018. These high-medieval pfennigs are first-class works of art and provide an insight into the thought of the time, for instance, how the Christian majority saw their Jewish fellow citizens.
