Postcards by Mela Köhler
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Mela Köhler – Postcards by the Viennese artist
Melanie Leopoldina Köhler, born in Vienna on November 18, 1885, became world-famous under the name Mela Köhler. The young artist initially studied for two years at the Malschule Hohenberger, a Vienna school of painting. In 1905, Koloman Moser became aware of the talented painter.
Mela Köhler subsequently attended the School of Arts and Crafts founded by Koloman Moser and Berthold Löffler in Vienna. As early as 1903, Moser was one of the founding members of the Wiener Werkstätte, giving Mela Köhler the opportunity to contribute her extraordinary talent and work on various Wiener Werkstätte products.
During this time, Mela Köhler created well over 100 postcards, place cards and similar products in which painting took center stage. Further postcards were created for the well-known publishing houses Brüder Kohn in Vienna (B.K.W.) and Verlag Munk in Vienna. Around 1930, Mela Köhler emigrated to Sweden and got married. Under the name Mela Köhler-Broman, a number of postcards were produced and distributed by the Swedish publishing house Sagokonst A.B. in Stockholm. Mela Köhler-Broman died in Stockholm on December 15, 1960 at the age of 75.
Factors determining the value of a postcard by Mela Köhler
Postcards by Mela Köhler are collected by enthusiasts all over the world. The prices for special pieces created during her work at the Wiener Werkstätten are up to € 500. Later postcards are cheaper and usually range in price from around € 30 to € 100.
Origin
Mela Köhler’s postcards were created in Vienna and Stockholm.
Age
Mela Köhler’s postcards were made between about 1908 and 1940.
Condition
Pieces in very good to good condition are preferred, but even minor defects lead to significant price reductions.
Rarity
Cards that were created during her time at the Wiener Werkstätten were printed in editions of around 200 – 1000. Later publishers have not published their circulation figures.
Characteristics
In 1892, the world’s best-known women’s magazine “Vogue” was founded and still exists today. The influence of this magazine on fashion and fashion trends is highly significant. Mela Köhler had managed to get in touch with the editor-in-chief Edna Woolman Chase. Chase had taken over the editorial office in a leading position in 1914 and ran the editorial office until 1952. Around 1920, Mela Köhler was in constant correspondence with the editors of “Vogue”. The influence on Mela Köhler’s work from the inspiration of this leading magazine in the fashion world must have been considerable.
Images
How to sell your postcards with Stade Auktionen
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Frequently asked questions
Find out everything you need to know about selling your postcards.
The value of old postcards can only be accurately determined by an in-depth valuation by our experts. It depends on various aspects, including age, origin, rarity, condition and the artist’s fame. Postcards that originate from historically significant personalities are particularly highly valued.
You are welcome to send us scans of your postcards for an initial assessment. Please note, however, that this alone is not sufficient for a final purchase decision. In order to offer you a precise purchase price, we need to carry out a personal appraisal of your collection. We avoid quoting lump sums without prior inspection, as we do not consider this to be serious. However, you are welcome to let us know your price expectations.
Your postcards should be older than 1945. Whether the postcards are written on or were sent by post is generally irrelevant. It is much more important that the postcards are in a collectible condition. We do not buy badly damaged postcards.
You are very welcome to visit us in our store in Grenzach-Wyhlen, where we can offer you personal advice and examine your collections.
If you are unable to visit us personally, please send us your postcards by post. Please send them by insured parcel post and enclose a cover letter with your asking price, address and telephone number.
Stade Auktionen GmbH & Co. KG
Markgrafenstr. 5
D-79639 Grenzach-Wyhlen
We can also collect legacies or extensive collections from your home.
The following conditions apply for consignments:
- The consignor may only consign postcards, stamps and other documents over which he has sole control.
- Consignments can be made at any time and will be included in the next auction.
- The starting prices are generally determined by the auction house. They are based on the current market situation.
- The auctioneer is entitled to accept underbids up to a maximum of 20% of the starting price.
- If the consignor withdraws the goods for reasons for which the consignor is responsible, an expense allowance of EUR 100 per hour shall be payable for the inspection and valuation of the items to be auctioned, but at least EUR 100 per order.
- The sales commission for the auctioneer is 22% of the hammer price. If the hammer price is up to 500 euros, the sales commission is 30% and the insurance costs are 1% of the hammer price. The statutory value added tax is levied on this. Postage costs for any returns shall be borne by the consignor. We charge a fee of 2.50 euros per lot for processing large lots and 1 euro for individual postcards.
- The auctioneer cannot accept any liability for auctioned goods. He therefore takes out special auction insurance for the account of the customer, which insures the auctioned goods against all risks within the scope of this contract. The sum insured is 1% of the hammer price.
- If the consignor withdraws the goods for reasons for which he is responsible after the auctioneer has already advertised the goods in the catalog or on the Internet, the goods shall be deemed prepared for the auction and the auctioneer shall settle the order with a further expense allowance. This includes the lost commission of 20% of the starting price of the lot. In addition, the processing fee of EUR 25 per lot, up to a maximum of EUR 300, must be reimbursed. Fees for inspections that are necessary, at the auctioneer’s discretion, will be invoiced separately after consultation.
- Billing takes place 6-8 weeks after the auction.
- Advances are possible for good consignments.
- The place of jurisdiction for all parties involved is Lörrach.
Please understand that we cannot accept consignments of less than 100 postcards.
When selling an inherited collection of postcards, it is important to preserve their condition in order to achieve high sales proceeds.
Make sure that the postcards remain in their original condition:
- Avoid creases, scribbles and changes to faded writing.
- Do not remove any stamps, as this can reduce the value of the postcard.
- To protect against moisture and dust, the postcards should be cleaned with a dry brush and stored in protective sleeves.
Such measures help to maximize the value and attractiveness of the collection for other collectors.
Sell your postcards with Stade Auktionen
Do you want to sell a collection but don’t know how much your postcards are worth or how to sell them? Send us a message and we will take care of your request as soon as possible.