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Seller Sepp (right) told Detlev Kümmel (left) and Horst Lichter: "And someone asked me: Would you like an autograph from Andy Warhol?"
ZDF
An inconspicuous menu turns out to be a real collector's item on "Bares für Rares": the unique piece signed by Andy Warhol causes amazement - and ends up fetching many times the estimated price.
"Oh, gloves! That's a precious piece of writing," said Horst Lichter on Friday's edition of his ZDF flea market show, recognizing the importance of what at first glance appeared to be an inconspicuous card. He had no idea what a famous name the "Bares für Rares" seller was about to name.
"What nice thing do we have here?" Lichter asked the expert Detlev Kümmel. "We have a signature, a menu," began Kümmel. The passionate chef Horst Lichter listened: "What's delicious?" Kümmel hinted: "Delicious French refinements."
Sepp from Brunnen on Lake Lucerne was able to provide more details: "I was a chef and restaurateur." Lichter concluded: "Then you cooked the food here?" The salesman confirmed: "I had the pleasure of cooking this menu for Andy Warhol and other guests." Horst Lichter flinched in awe at the name: "Wow, what delicious thing did you cook?"
Kümmel read out: "Foie gras, oxtail soup, then veal, followed by the cheese platter and then a soufflé with hot fruit." Lichter had a craving: "I'd eat that now."
But it was all about the signature. "After the meal, I was asked into the dining room," Sepp recounted. "And someone asked me: "Would you like Andy Warhol's autograph?" Sepp didn't say no. "He then created this work of art with the green ballpoint pen."
The dinner took place on May 24, 1978, two days before the pop artist's exhibition opened in Zurich.
ZDF
The dinner took place on May 24, 1978, two days before the Pop Art artist's exhibition opened in Zurich. "Andy Warhol is a world great in art," emphasized Lichter. Kümmel added: "He was already an icon back then" - and still is today. "That makes him one of the all-time greats."
The personal dedication, the artistic framing of the word "Diner" and the signature made the menu unique. "He seems to have enjoyed it," said Kümmel. He also confirmed its authenticity: "It's definitely a hand signature."
Sepp gave his asking price: "A real Warhol - 400 euros?" Detlev Kümmel assessed the card as a "drawing" and even estimated its value at 600 to 700 euros. With the obligatory dealer's card, we went into the dealer's room.
"We are very, very impressed and find it very exciting," said Daniel Meyer, expressing his interest in buying on behalf of all the dealers. "I think there will be a bidding war," announced Wolfgang Pauritsch. And that's exactly what happened.
"It's almost a portrait," said Meyer, recognizing the seller's profile in the green line. The starting bid of 250 euros rose rapidly. Soon the 1000 euro threshold was exceeded.
And it went even further. "Will you sell me this beautiful diner card for 1800 euros?" Meyer made the highest bid and won the auction. Sepp was beaming: "Wow, I'm really surprised! I was expecting 400 euros, but it turned out to be 1800 euros - hard to believe!"
