art by Ernst Geissendorfer

welcome quark ! (do you realize that 'quark' is the german for 'cottage cheese' ?) there are/were quite a few 'sunday' painters in europe (and all over the world i'd think). unless you can find someone at a local art-gallery a who can identify the painter for you, you may want to try and trace the name through an ancestry site. you could also contact the town of rothenburg, they might have knowledge of the painter. we have some paintings by unknown german painters that we brought with us; we keep them because we simply like them. hbg

Thank you for your oh-so-prompt reply. I had no idea that quark meant cottage cheese! It is the name of my son's cat and he says it means subatomic particle. I have contacted the tourist office as you suggested. I loved your description of yourself in your profile! Your life sounds lovely except for the cold. I live in the desert because I love the heat and I run on solar power. Also loved your sig from the Simpsons. It's one of my favorite lines. Thanks again. Quark

quark : of course, 'quark' is also a sub-atomic particle. i wonder if there might be a connection somewhere ? checked my old german dictionary; it says that 'quark' means 'useless/valueless/small' , so that might be the connection. while it can get pretty cold here in the winter, we've had a very nice fall - but it is beginning to rain now and the leaves are falling. for the first three weeks of december we are 'escaping' to hawaii with a five-day stopover in san diego. in march we'll try to get away to myrtle beach to warm up our bones. by the time we get back in april it'll have started to warm up a bit here. let us know if you hear anything about the origin of your picture; it'll be interesting to know what the history is. hope you'll find some interesting threads on able2know. hbg

Ernst Geissendorfer
You'll be glad to know some information about Ernst Geissendorfer. He wrote and illustrated a small book for tourists called A GUIDE TO ROTHENBURG . The artwork that has been slowly surfacing are prints and etchings of the illustrations for that book. I have a signed etching of Rothenburg Tavern that he also marked as "original run" or "original role". It's very hard to read his writing. Some of the prints are signed and some are not. These prints were available for tourists to purchase and take home as souveniers. I have a copy of the Guide. His work is really lovely. He was not "a Sunday Painter". He was a serious artist whose was never recognized for his talents, yet his work is all over the world in the homes of those tourists. Thought you would be interested in this. Wehrhere

I was looking for sources for etchings by Ernst Geissendorfer and came upon this site. I'd like to offer more information on him. He was a serious and prodigious artist who had a famous shop in Rothenburg. Rothenburg is a medieval walled town in southern Germany on the Romantic Road - very popular with tourists. Geissendorfer sold his works from the shop and also by catalog. I know he lived to an old age because I visited his shop in the 1960s, when he wasn't young, and again in the 90s and he was still alive and painting. He painted many of the famous scenes in Rothenburg (the Plonlein is probably the most famous) but also created works from elsewhere in Germany, Europe and the United States. His work is lovely but I don't think it is highly priced for original artwork. I have a few of his pieces, though, and they still look wonderful after all these years. Perhaps they will become more valuable now that he has died - I am having a hard time finding many for sale.

Ernst Giessendörfer
There is a large shop in Rothenburg ob der Tauber named for Ernst Giessendörfer the sells copies of his and earlier etchings. It is right on the Marktplatz and does an active business - Rothenburg is a tourist stop on the Romantic Road. I shopped there several times while stationed in Germany and since then while on vacation.

Etchings
Hi,
I am new to this forum but was looking for information about ernst.
I have 3 small etchings that my mother brought back from Rothenberg around 1952. They are lovely. The ones that were still in the bag from the shop have bright colors, but the slightly faded one is lovely as well. Fun to see others have some.

etchings
You are very fortunate to have etchings by Ernst Geissendofer, he was a great artist in Rothenburg ob der Tauber during the past 40 years in Germany. My husband and I were just there and found his Art Shop which is now run by Catarina Geissendoerfer- the shop is just off the Marketplatz in the center of the town. His work is beautiful and expensive! If you can go there someday and see his work, then you may appreciate the lovely gift that your mother left for you.

My father gave me a beautifully detailed framed ink etching on silk a couple of years ago after I expressed how lovely I thought it was. I am not sure where he had gotten it, but I noticed on the back of the cardboard of the frame, he had written "German Christmas Card". The etching had the initials AD, with the A set above the smaller D which hung in between and below the arms of the A. It was a very unique mark. I googled "A D Artist Etching Germany" and found out it was Albrecht Dürer, a very famous Northern Renaissance painter and engraver in the 14-1500's. When I opened the back of the frame to see if there was more information, the bottom of the back on the matt it is mounted on reads, "Albrecht Dürer (1471 - 1528)" On a small insert, it reads, "Maria with the Christchild on the sickle of the moon (1514). This is a handengraving on silk by Ernst Geissendorfer, Rothenburg/Tauber, Germany. Made in Germany". Was it common for him to reproduce this artists work? Does anyone know of any other pieces that are available such as this?

Hi,

I own 2 etching of Ernst Geissendorfer and would like to know how I'd find out what they are worth? Would you have any idea of where I would start?

Thanks,
Diane

Hi Quark
You appeared in a search of mine. I too have a sketch by the same artist, bought in Gernamy, probably pre-war, by my mother. Did you find out any more?
Curios

I enjoyed reading all the messages regarding Ernst Geissendorfer. I have a print of his also, original and signed. Does anyone know the worth of these smaller itchings. I found a post card on E-Bay which is the place of my sketch. Neat.

Hello,I know have a original etching by Ernst Geissendorfer.I bought it at a garage sale this past weekend for eithier .50 cents or $1.00. It is a beautiful etching of the townhall of Rothenburg Germany, and signed in pencil on the left is "Rothenburgo.T " and on the right is Orig.Rod.V.E.Gussendorfles.
This was in a 8 x 10 frame and on the back in pen is,Aunt Elda bought this in England.
I am very happy I came across this.Even if it is not worth millions,I know have a piece of history and I will hang it in my home,in a nicer frame.I hope to find more of his etchings.Danke sein to the garage sale!!

I have seven etchings signed by ernst Geissendorfer, markus tower, Kobolzeller, Castle gate, Roeder Lane, Famous old portal of the town hall and Town hall with st. gerorgis. I was wondering how much there worth and if any body is interested in buying them let me know [email protected]

You are assuming correctly. Ernst Geissendoerfer is well known in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. They have a large Art Gallery on the market place in Rothenburg.
Catarina Geissendoerfer is now running the Gallery. I don't now if her father (?) is still alive or not. Their address is :
Obere Schmiedgasse 1,
Rothenburg ob der Tauber

(sometimes written Rothenburg 0/T , or Rothenburg o.d.T) the zip code is 91541. Telefone from the States - 011 -49-9861-2005. Their website: www.geissendoerfer.de. Their email address is [email protected]

I hope this helps - you should go visit there - it's awesome! (Spring and Fall - are not crowded - don't go summer or Christmas = tourist trap)
All the best,
Eva

Geissendoerfer did copper prints (not sure if that's a correct English translation) but as close as it gets. The family has a gallery and Ermst Geisendoerfers prints are all originals and well know.
Regarding you Quark -cottage cheese. Maybe the CA style, creamy kind, but not quite.
I have lived in the US for almost 40 years, and I'm still searching for Quark. I loved it all my life, ate it with honey and fruits for lunches, but California style cottage cheese comes close. It's not it though... (

hello wehrhere - don't know about being recognized...He and his family has always owned one of the largest galleries I have ever seen (as a child), and they were extremely well to do. In 1956/57 they drove a large Cadillac, and I think they also had a driver with that. I know, because their daughter and I went to the same boarding school, and one time, I drove with them.
The gallery is still there, the daughter Catarina now runs it. The pieces are copper prints, therefor all originals. check the website www.geissendoerfer.de
Their Gallery is prominently located on the market place in Rothenburg o/T - and the most desirable real estate in town.

He worked on copper. the gallery is still there - same place - and still extremely succesful. website: www.geissendoerfer.de. Phone number 49-9861-2005
I didn't know he died. I went to boarding school with a daughter who would now be in her mid sixties somewhere. I'm trying to reach her, researching the possible whereabouts of Pablo Picasso on July 9th, 1965.

www.geissendoerfer.de as far as I know - they ship
Have fun