The Arno Henseler Private Collection - Single-Owner-Sale and Further Selected Works

Auction in Würzburg:
Saturday, 14 November 2026 – 2 pm (CEST)

Preview:
From November 11 to 13 – from 10 am to 5 pm
And by appointment

Catalogue order

We are delighted to present the Arno Henseler private collection on November 14. This first part focuses on masterpieces from Africa and Oceania assembled over decades by the Munich-based gallerist and art connoisseur—selected works of outstanding quality, historical significance, and impeccable provenance.

For museums, collectors, and connoisseurs, the monumental throne stool from Bamum (Lot 58) stands out as a truly exceptional piece in several respects. Adorned with beadwork and cowrie shells, the throne originated in the workshop of Nji Nkome and likely dates to before 1900. King Ibrahim Njoya, one of the most influential rulers of the Bamum Kingdom, gifted it to the Swiss missionary Martin Göhring (1871–1959) as a token of fraternal friendship and mutual esteem. Göhring had been stationed in Foumban by the Basel Mission between 1906 and 1911.

This is the story of a royal gift; it offers a nuanced perspective on the complex encounters between African rulers and European missionaries. It reveals that material culture did not circulate solely within the context of colonial power dynamics but was also shaped by networks of friendship, negotiation, and mutual respect.

Arno Henseler (1938–2025) acquired the piece from the family’s possession around 1980.

Arno Henseler was a defining figure in the German market for non-European art. With his gallery premises at Galeriestraße 2a—located right next to the Hofgarten of the Munich Residenz—he created an internationally renowned venue for encountering non-European art in all its cultural and artistic diversity; for collectors and art enthusiasts alike, it was an institution he managed with great passion until his death last year.

His extensive private collection is being offered for sale here and in upcoming auctions, beginning with masterpieces from Africa and Oceania.

Following this single-owner sale, the second part of our auction offering presents equally outstanding and fascinating works from a wide range of cultures and eras. Look forward to pieces from the estate of Alexander Kubetz - whose passion for art and collecting began in Papua New Guinea and the islands of the South Pacific - as well as the second part of the John and Marcia Friede prehistoric stone collection and Pre-Columbian works from the German collections of Hans-Henning Strumpf (Sankt Goarshausen) and Eberhard von Gloeden (Dusseldorf). With early historical idols and antiquities, we also aim to place a special emphasis on the Mediterranean region.

More details to follow soon…

The 2-volume catalogue is expected to be sent on October 26 - and is then also online available.