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Publicly appointed and sworn-in expert and appraiser
for the
Chamber of Commerce in Munich and Bavaria

Probate Valuations, Inventories, Advisory Services on Acquisitions and
Sales of Decorative Arts and Art in Porcelain and Faience

Since 1986

Transparency is the basis of trust

Only sold works of art are shown on this website. It is designed to show the quality level I am dealing with. Nowadays, I work on a commission basis on behalf of buyers and sellers. Only if I wish to secure a truly outstanding object, I buy on my own account. I can only work with a small number of enthusiasts for the decorative arts. In order to enjoy the cooperation, it is essential to share the same eye for quality and, if necessary, be prepared to move fast if an object is discovered. Trustworthiness, as defined in the Ten Commandments, is the basis of my business. It is with great pride that I can say that so far, each one of my clients has made a profit when selling an object which had been bought through me in the past. Commission work means selling 40 years of experience for very little net income. I therefore believe that it is only fair to divide my commission between vendors and buyers.

My work as a publicly sworn in appraiser at court for the Bavarian Chamber of Commerce includes also the division of probate valuations and support with the division of estates.

Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz

The Art

Quote of a client after the division of the parental art collection

“…when us sisters met to finally divide the silver, we thought SO much of you. We divided EXCACTLY as you had suggested: the bigger more important pieces according to your evaluation. The minor household silver according to your quality groups and individual preference. Nobody felt in disadvantage, all heirs were happy and content.” (May 2008)

Publications

Publications

Publications:

  • Exhibition Catalog
    Continental Ceramics, London, 1987
  • Exhibition Catalog
    Continental Ceramics, London 1991
  • Meissen – Porcelain for Gentlemen
    Munich 2005, pp. 207, colour ill., 10 articles on new research (see list of articles)
  • Meissen – Celebrating Kaendler/ Zum 300. Geburtstag Johann Joachim Kaendlers
    Eine Sammlung von Porzellan Skulpturen aus Meissen/A Private Collection of Porcelain Sculpture, Munich 2006, pp. 216 incl. a biography of J.J.Kaendler (see list of articles)

Articles

  • Kirchner or Kaendler – a large Eagle unknown
    Keramos no. 241/242, April  2020; including a chronological and comparative list of all large Meissen animals made by Kirchner and Kaendler for the Japanese Palace.
  • Früh oder Spät? Zur Datierung von Meissner Porzellanfiguren / The Dating of Meissen Porcelain Figures (text in German, English summary)
    Keramos no. 194/2006, pp. 29-68. This article includes a list and illustrations of all known dated Meissen figures before 1756, download pdf
  • J.J. Kaendler, A Biography (text in German and English)
    see Meissen-Celebrating Kaendler, Munich 2006, pp. 10-25.
  • Continental ceramics ranging from Italian maiolica to German and French porcelain, this traditional area of collecting has been revitalised over the past five years by discriminating new collectors, Apollo Magazine, March 2005, p. 118-119
  • The discovery of a Fakers Workshop: Böttger Steinzeug / Böttger Stoneware – Die Geschichte eines Problems und das Erkennen von Nachahmungen / The History of a Problem and the Methods of Detection (text in German and English), see Meissen – Porcelain for Gentlemen, Munich 2005, pp. 10-18.
  • Truthähne – Die Entdeckungeines Copenhagen Porzellan Großtieres / Turkeys – the Discovery of a large Copenhagen Porcelain Animal (text in German and English), see Meissen – Porcelain for Gentlemen, Munich 2005, pp. 116—121. The re-discovery of Andrea Pedersen- Nielsen, the outstanding porcelain sculptress at the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain factory.
  • Artistic Idea and its execution: Idee und Ausführung – Ein Datierungsystem für Nymphenburger Porzellanfiguren aus dem 18. Jahrhundertanhand der Sockeltypen / Idea and Execution – A System for Dating 18th Century Nymphenburg Porcelain Figures, Weltkunst, Nr. 12/2004, S. 138-139. download pdf
  • Frühes Meißener Porzellan, Weltkunst, 11/2000

Lectures

  • The Difference of Art and Design / Der Unterschied von Kunst und Design.
    Lecture / Vortrag in der Buchinger Klinik, Überlingen, 2.2.2006
  • The Dating Techniques and Comparisons of Theatrical Figures in Meissen, Nymphenburg, Berlin and Vienna.
    Lecture at the International Ceramics Fair, London, 18.6.2006
  • Original, Fake, Adaption – detailed knowledge as the basis for correct evaluations / Original, Fälschung und Verfälschung– Detailwissen ist die Voraussetzung zu korrekten Gutachten und Schätzungen
    Vortrag für den Bundesverband öffentlich Bestellter und vereidigter Kunstsachverständiger, Kunst und Antiquitätenmesse, München, 24.10.2006
  • Collecting Art as a Basis for inspired Partnership / Kunstsammeln als Basis für eine lebendige Partnerschaft
    Vortrag in der Buchinger Klinik, Überlingen, 21.6.2007
  • Sculpture, Figure or Figurine – the Difference between Art, Decorative Art and Decoration
    Lecture at the American Ceramic Circle, Museum of Fine Art Seattle, 1.11.2007
  • Sculpture, Figure or Figurine – the Dating and Longevity of the porcelain mould and its impact on artistic Quality
    Lecture at the San Francisco Ceramic Circle, Museum Legion of Honour, 8.11.2007
  • Structure, contentand Evaluation of Decorative Arts for Expertises at Court / Aufbau, Inhalt und Wertermittlung für Gutachten im Bereich der Angewandten Kunst
    Vortrag für den Bundesverband öffentlich Bestellter und vereidigter Kunstsachverständiger zum Deutschen Kunstsachverständigentag, Frankfurt, 12.2.2008

Voices From the International Press

International Herald Tribune, June 18.19, 2005
…An even more astonishing discovery can be seen at the fair. Angela von Wallwitz of Munich shows a vase that once formed part of a set of five imitating Chinese models and decorated at Meissen around 1730-33 by the strange Adam Friedrich von Löwenfinck. …

The Wall Street Journal Europe, 21st May 2005
…Gräfin von Wallwitz’ turkey, made between 1910-1914 by Andrea Pedersen for the Royal Copenhagen factory, is a stylistic forerunner of Art Deco, the design movement that dominated in the 1920s and 1930s – the feathers are streamlined almost to abstraction….

Financial Times, 26th/27th February 2005
…Marks describes himself as an “ageing attorney obsessed with collecting early Meissen porcelain”, and it is a passion his wife shares. “Over the years we’ve made friends at TEFAF with other collectors, curators and dealers”, he says. “Angela Wallwitz has become a dear friend of ours.” Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz, a Munich based dealer in fine and rare continental porcelain and pottery, has shown at the fair since 1991….

Le Figaro, 11 Mars 2005
…L’an dernier, cet erudit de Detroit avait acheté Le Sultan montant l’éphant en Meissen par Kaendler (dans l’expositionde Detroit) chez Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz  de Munich, qui fait sensation cette fois avec un dindon en porcelaine de copenhagen (1910-1914) d’Andrea Pedersen. Cette interprétation XXe des animaux grandeur natur réaliés par Kändler pour le Palais de L#Electeur de Saxe vaut presque aussi cher qu’un Meissen XVIIIe…

Handelsblatt, 11./12./13.März 2005
…Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz verfügt über keine ihrer vier Commedia-Figuren von Bustelli mehr. Sie gelangten allesamt in amerikanische Sammlungen…

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 5. März 2005
…Vom Rokoko in die Moderne:“Im Dorf in Franken“ kaufte die „Porzellan-gräfin“ Wallwitz einen gewaltigen weißen Art-déco-Truthan, der die Rehabilitierung der  nahezu vergessenen Andrea Pedersen, Modelleurin für Kopenhagen, herbeiführen sollte…

Handelsblatt, 4./5./6.März 2005
…Angela von Wallwitz bietet in Maastricht wissenschaftlich aufbereitetes Meissen Programm mit Figuren-Porzellan, Vasen und Geschirrteilen…

 International Herald Tribune, March 13-14 2004
…The 18th century porcelain displayed by Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz of Munich is impressive. A Meissen service made to match imported Chinese Imari-style dishes (of which two are on view), which stayed in the family that commissioned it until last year, is a unique discovery. …The feeling that great opportunities must be seized prevails here as elsewhere…The Munich dealer says she has had her “best fair since the bumper year 1989”.

 The Wall Street Journal, March 8th 2004
…A fun piece in the porcelainsection is a pair of colourful early Meissen birds of paradise modelled by J.J.Kaendler around 1733. The pair is found at Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz Kunsthandel of Munich. Only three pairs of these birds are known; and in the porcelain market, as in other collector sectors, rarity pays off. The pair is priced at around € 78.900.

L’Objet D’Art, Mars 2004
Les oiseaux rares de la section antiquités et objets d’art sont sans conteste deux oiseaux de paradis grandeur nature en porcelaine de Meissen modelés par Johann Joachim Kaendler pour Auguste le Fort, présentés par Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz (Munich)….

Die Zeit, 30. April 2003
…”Das Mehr an Kenntnissen ist zwar unser Kapital” sagt die in München auf Porzellan spezialisierte Kunsthändlerin Angela von Wallwitz, „aber es wäre in dieser Situation ein großer Fehler, es unseren Kunden vorzuenthalten.“ Also bietet die Expertin Kurse zu den verschiedenen Themen an. „Den Ritt durch die Jahrhunderte“ beginnt sie mit einer Art Sehschule in der umfangreichen Kunstgewerbe-Sammlung im Bayerischen Nationalmuseum. Die Fortsetzung findet dann in ihrem Geschäft statt…

Biography

Angela Gräfin von Wallwitz grew up in Munich and began to work for Sotheby’s in 1976. In 1984, she was appointed Departmental Director for the European Ceramics Dpt. in London, then the youngest and first director with children at Sotheby’s. She left Sotheby’s in 1989 and opened her own gallery opposite Sotheby's in St. George Street, London. In her first year of trading, she was invited to participate in the then world’s most important art fair, The Grosvenor House Antiques Fair in London, where she exhibited from 1988-1995. As the first dealer for European Ceramics she exhibited in the TEFAF (European Fine Art Fair Maastricht) from 1990 – 2006. She served as a member of the Vetting Committees at the Grosvenor House Fair 1990 – 2002 and as the Head of the Porcelain Vetting Committee in Maastricht 1993 – 2003... read more

In 1991-1992, she attended courses in Public Relations and Corporate Salesmanship at the London School of Economics.

In the years 1995-1998 she completed a three –year course on History of Art at the College of Further Education (Kellogs College) at the University of Oxford.

2010-2011 – MA at the University of Buckingham.

Gräfin Wallwitz moved back to Munich in 1997 where she continued to work as a dealer in fine and early European pottery and porcelain.

In 2001 she took the oath as a sworn-in appraised for the German courts (Öffentlich Vereidigter Sachverständiger IHK München) and subsequently created a system for value depreciation, which is now used by all German and Austrian insurance companies and is accepted in all courts.

In 2006 she re-organised her business. The purchase of art and the participation in art fairs was discontinued. She is working since as an agent and consultant to international museums and collectors for European pottery and porcelain, as well as European Decorative Arts.

Her research into specific issues of dating individual ceramic casts and the attribution to individual artists in the field of European pottery and porcelain continues. Her dating systems for 18th century Nymphenburg and Meissen porcelain figures have been accepted and are used world-wide.

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