The Value of Durer’s Charts are the Stars of the Show

On March 30th, Sotheby’s London is holding a sale of prints and works on paper. A of the highlight will be the Albrecht Durer star charts of the Northern and Sothern Skies sold as a single lot estimated at $120,000-180,000. These magnificent works were produced by woodcut from the illustrations of Durer in 1515.

The works were created in collaboration with Viennese astronomer, mathematician, and cartographer, Johann Stabius who also helped with other Durer prints dealing with math. These were created while Durer was still under the commissionship of the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I, for whom Durer created some of his most iconic works.

What make these prints especially rare are the original color and very little fading. Only ten other prints are recorded as being in museum and institutional collections where only two of these ten show original coloring as well. There is a great hope that the interest for these objects will be high and the bidding will reflect enthusiastic collectors.

Posted by, Lauren Guzniczak