Passing of Torch at Bernheimer Leads to Sale

This Fall, Sotheby’s will hold a two-day 700-lot sale of Berheimer Old Masters gallery stock and the family possessions of one of Europe’s oldest art dealing families. The culmination of four generations, the elder Berheimer has already switched his dealing to London’s Colnaghi while the fifth generation, his daughters, will pursue the family profession in Contemporary art. Berheimer spoke to the Antiques Trade Gazette:

“There will be no Old Master paintings any more in Munich. Munich will continue with the emphasis on Modern and Contemporary, because of my daughters. And my personal activities in the field of Old Masters will be concentrated to London, to Colnaghi.”

He added: “Bernheimer and Colnaghi were never really united; I always kept them as separate entities. And as Munich will be dealing in Modern and Contemporary and Colnaghi will definitely continue with Old Master paintings, it will become even more evident that these are two different companies.

“In Maastricht for instance, or in London at Frieze Masters, there will be no Old Master paintings by Bernheimer. At Frieze Masters there will be a cooperation between my daughter Blanca with her company Bernheimer Fine Art Photography and Colnaghi, and in Maastricht it will be just Colnaghi.”

The family’s main residence is in Munich. On the decision to sell Burg Marquartstein, their country residence, Mr Bernheimer said: “Unfortunately we never spent enough time in Marquartstein, and we never could make up our mind to take it up as our main seat. So we used Marquartstein for weekends and for holidays, not enough. And, as we said before, none of our daughters would have taken over, they all live a different lifestyle, and most of them live either in Switzerland or in Berlin. I might indeed spend more time in London.”

Bernheimer sale signals new direction for Munich dealership  (Antiques Trade Gazette)