The Cologne auction house Van Ham is preparing to auction hundreds of artworks from the collection of Munich's Gallery Thomas, whose bankruptcy last summer sent shockwaves throughout the art industry. The gallery's collapse was marked by millions in debt, angry creditors, and the mysterious disappearance of its owner.
Gallery Thomas had been a cornerstone of the international art world for exactly sixty years before its dramatic downfall in summer 2024. Founded by Raimund Thomas, the gallery had set international standards in classical modernism, post-war art, and contemporary works. Thomas was also instrumental in establishing the Cologne Art Market, which later became the renowned Art Cologne fair.
The bankruptcy administrator has entrusted the liquidation of the gallery's collection to the Cologne auction house Van Ham. On December 4, the auction house will offer 17 paintings and sculptures as part of its Post War auction. Among the notable pieces is Leiko Ikemura's equestrian painting, an early work from 1986 with an estimated value of 25,000 to 35,000 euros. This piece was once part of Raimund Thomas's personal collection, and some works from his collection were featured in the 1989 exhibition "Thomas Collection, Art from the Eighties" at Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt.
The auction includes significant works representing various artistic movements and the gallery's diverse program. Paintings by Salomé, Helmut Middendorf, and Martin Disler represent the heyday of the Neue Wilde (New Wild Ones) movement, with Disler's "Fire in Us, Blood and Glow" estimated at 12,000 to 15,000 euros. The sculpture focus of the gallery's program is exemplified by John Ahearn's "Barbara and Thomas," life-sized, colored plaster figures from 1984, also valued at 12,000 to 15,000 euros.
The highest-valued lot in the auction is Wojciech Fangor's "E 31" from 1966, featuring luminous color fields arranged in a square format. This oil on canvas work, measuring 71 by 71 centimeters, carries an estimate of 60,000 to 80,000 euros. The piece represents the sophisticated taste and international scope that Gallery Thomas was known for during its six decades of operation.
Van Ham will handle the sale of additional works from the bankruptcy estate through online auctions. An additional 400 works with estimates up to 5,000 euros will be sold without reserve limits online from November 26 to December 8. A second tranche of works is scheduled to be auctioned in January, ensuring that the extensive collection built up over Gallery Thomas's long history will be completely liquidated.
