Cologne Fine Art Fair

The Cologne Fine Art Fair is one of Europe’s biggest events of the kind, showcasing ancient, modern and decorative art.

It’s an opportunity for international art galleries and dealers to display an eclectic mix of objects from a wide range of periods and styles. Visitors can buy anything their heart desires to improve their home or simply as an investment, if their wallet allows.

Items on show include a Picasso going for 8.5 million euros and an X-Ray of surrealist artist Meret Oppenheim’s skull – a snip at just 12,000 euros.

“In times of unrest in the financial markets and of lower interest rates, we notice that people are not only interested in buying art for art’s sake but as an investment, for example in classic cars or design objects, all those things are seen as good value for money,” says the fair’s director Cornelia Zinken.

For the first time this year, the event features a section called Style Icons, showcasing classic cars including a Chrysler Ghia L6 Coupé from the early 60s, and a 1930s Bugatti, which has been kept locked up for decades and has hardly ever been on the road.

“These are not just classic cars, they are sculptures on wheels. All these cars have unique designs, they are very rare, they are true classics. There’s been a crossover of influences and you can’t look at the cars separately, that’s why classic cars and art are linked,” says Cornelia Zinken.

More accessible objects at the fair include a table lamp dating back to the 1900’s going for 39,000 euros, a Mongolian carpet estimated at 28,000 euros and a 17th century Japanese plate.

The Fine Art fair in the German city of Cologne runs until November 24.