The Munich line, what drives value, and what the seller keeps

1. At a glance

1. The Munich line in five names: Cobra (1948–1951), SPUR (1957–1965), WIR (1959–1965), GEFLECHT (1965–1968) and Kollektiv Herzogstraße (1975–1982)^[4][5]. That is how an exhibition catalogue of 1983 lines them up^[5]. Cobra was an international group^[4]; the other four were founded in Munich^{[3][20][21][22]}.
2. Beyond the name, the individual work counts. Provenance, documents, exhibitions and the catalogue raisonné all affect value^[6][7][8][9]. A catalogue raisonné lists all known works by an artist^[10]. Signature, edition, condition and medium matter too^[6][11].
3. Original does not mean unique. Under German resale right law, a print signed by the artist usually counts as an original^[12]. Yet it is one of several impressions^[11]. As a rule, that lowers the price compared with a one-off piece^[13].
4. At auction, two fees sit between buyer and seller. The hammer price is the highest bid^[14]. The buyer pays a premium on top; the seller pays a commission out of it^[14][15]. A premium of 15 to 25 % leaves the seller at most 80 to 87 % of the buyer’s price^[16]. Commission and other costs come on top of that^[14].
5. Artists share in resales. If the art trade is involved, German law grants them a share from €400^[17]. Up to €50,000 it is 4 %^[17]. Sales between private individuals without an intermediary are exempt^[18].

3. What makes a work worth more

The Art Dealers Association of America names six key points: authenticity, quality, rarity, condition, provenance and value^[6].

• Provenance, the history of ownership. It helps document that a work is authentic^[7]. Works from a famous collection can be worth more than comparable ones without that owner^[7].
• Documents. Evidence includes bills of sale and collection, exhibition and auction catalogues^[7]. Marks on the work itself can also prove its history, such as stamps or handwritten ownership notes^[7].
• Exhibitions. What museums show and buy gains public acceptance^[8]. The artists’ work usually rises in value as a result^[8].
• Catalogue raisonné. This list usually covers all of an artist’s works^[10]. Whether a work is included can strongly affect its market price^[9].
• Signature and inscriptions. A signature attributes a work to the artist and confirms authorship^[11].
• Unique or edition. Prints are made in several impressions; their total is the edition^[11]. The smaller the edition, the more each impression is worth^[11].
• Condition. It is considered a very important factor, yet price databases usually leave it out^[6].
• Size and medium. Subject, medium and rarity affect demand^[6]. For new artists, one valuation method uses size, effort and materials as a yardstick^[6].

Three cases from the Founding Collection

#10 Erwin Eisch, oil painting: an inscription with an open question. The painting, oil on canvas, measures 96 × 96 cm^[24]. Our catalogue currently dates it to 1960^[24]. On the back, the stretcher reads “SPUR 58 E. Eisch”^[24]. The inscription explicitly links the picture to SPUR^[24].

In 1957 Eisch belonged to an exhibiting group around Prem, Sturm, Fischer and Zimmer^[19]. In 1958 he signed the first SPUR manifesto^[19]. How long he stayed a member is recorded inconsistently. German Wikipedia gives 1957 to 1959^[25], English Wikipedia 1958 to 1959^[26]. Komitee SPUR records his departure in 1960^[19]; our group page follows that for now^[3]. Whether “58” is the year of creation remains open^[24]. We are checking the date and his membership and will add the result.

For sellers this means: always photograph the back as well. Marks on a work can prove where it comes from^[7].

#163 Heimrad Prem, 1974: an original, but not unique. The sheet is a screen print on paper^[27]. In screen printing, ink is pressed through a fine mesh^[28]. The sheet is inscribed by hand “60/100” and “Prem 74”^[27]. The number places the impression in an edition, here of 100^[11][13]. Signed prints usually count as originals for resale right^[12]. But multiple impressions usually lower the market price compared with a one-off^[13]. Valuing such a sheet like a unique work will usually come out too high^[13].

#150 Uwe Lausen, “Stoffwechsel”: the portfolio as a whole. The portfolio holds nine black-and-white and two five-colour screen prints on polished Astralit panels^[29]. Fred Jahn published it in Munich in December 1968, in the edition x of Gernot v. Pape^[29]. According to the label, every panel is signed and numbered; the edition is 80 copies^[29]. The Founding Collection’s copy is complete^[29].

A print portfolio brings works together deliberately, for an occasion^[30]. The portfolio itself can be designed and be “a work of art in its own right”^[30]. Portfolios are often incomplete, for instance because single sheets were sold^[30]. A complete portfolio cannot be taken for granted^[30]. Rarity, in turn, affects demand^[6]. Lausen’s paintings have a catalogue raisonné, edited by Selima Niggl in 2010^[31]. Judging by its title, it does not cover prints^[31].

5. Method

What this issue is. A guide without market figures. Its sources are statutes, the collecting society VG Bild-Kunst, reference works, literature and Artloved’s group and work pages. Every statement of fact has a footnote. A second review checked every statement against its source.

What it is not. No valuation of individual works and no price forecast. Nor is it legal or tax advice: your consignment contract and the house’s conditions of sale govern your case.

What issue 2 will add. Prices by group and medium, and where works sell. It will be based on auction results, aggregated only, never single hammer prices.

As of 20 October 2026. All sources retrieved on 19 and 20 October 2026; most are in German. Publisher: Artloved, a service of MASSIVE MEDIA PTE. LTD., Singapore^[1]. Please send notes and corrections to connect@artloved.com^[1].