Postcards by Hannes Petersen
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Hannes Petersen – Postcards with a surprising background
Hannes Petersen was mainly active in the 1930s. If we did not know any further details about his life and work, we would have to assume that he was a male who created numerous depictions of children for the production of picture postcards. However, this is not the case: The signature “Hannes Petersen” or often just “HP” belongs to a woman. Her name is Johanna Helene Charlotte Schröder, born on July 21, 1885 in Berlin, died there on January 20, 1960.
The artist’s first marriage was to Hans Petersen. This marriage only lasted three years, as Hans Petersen died young of a serious illness. Whether the signature “Hannes Petersen” is a variation of her first husband’s name or a combination of her first name “Johanna” and his surname can no longer be clarified beyond doubt.
J.H.C. Schröder studied art in Berlin and later married the sculptor Nicolaus Schmidt. After her second marriage, the artist signed parts of her works “Hannes Petersen-Schmidt”, a rarer variant that is coveted by collectors.
Artistic work
During the First World War, selling works of art proved difficult. After the war, J.H.C. Schröder initially focused on individual greeting cards and artistic products. From the 1920s to the 1950s, however, her artistic production increasingly shifted to postcards, which ultimately became the focus of her work. Today it is assumed that J.H.C. Schröder created far more than 2,000 postcards – probably even more than 3,000.
Her works are characterized by the following features:
- Detailed and loving drawing style
- Frequently used techniques: Watercolor and gouache
- Popular motifs: Children, animals (especially dogs and cats), festive depictions (Christmas, Easter)
- Warm, nostalgic atmosphere
Popularity & collector interest
Hannes Petersen’s postcards were already very popular at the time of their creation and were distributed internationally, particularly in the Netherlands, Scandinavia and the USA. Recently, there has also been an increased interest among collectors, which is reflected in rising market prices, mainly for particularly well-preserved or rare postcards.
Factors determining the value of a postcard by Hannes Petersen
Da mit etwas Geduld, Karten mit gleichen Motiven immer wiederzufinden sind, spielt eine gute und einwandfreie Erhaltung eine große Rolle.
Origin
The postcards come from various German publishers, including renowned houses such as Meissner & Buch from Leipzig. They were mostly produced using the offset printing process; however, individual editions were also published as lithographs, which are particularly sought after by collectors.
Age
Most of the postcards date from the period between around 1910 and 1940.
Condition
As postcards with the same motifs can often be found with a little patience, good and perfect condition plays an important role. Compromises with regard to condition should only be made for rare postcards.
Rarity
Extremely rare postcards are the exception rather than the rule. The challenge is rather to create a largely complete collection due to the large number of motifs.
Characteristics
Etchings or similar smaller works of art by Petersen are occasionally available as originals, often from a price of around 50 euros.
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 up to two months 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.