On 26 November 2014, Grisebach made auction history once again. The gouache “Stehende Rüstungen” by Adolph von Menzel, estimated at 100,000 euros, sold for a staggering 3,295,000 euros. A Swiss private collector secured the spectacular work after a fierce bidding battle on the phones and in the auction room. This result set a new Menzel record at Fasanenstraße, surpassing the previous record held by Sotheby’s by more than one million euros.

The sheet, part of Menzel’s “Rüstkammerphantasien” (Armoury Fantasies) series created in 1866 at the Berlin City Palace, had been a favourite motif of the artist’s dealer Hermann Pächter.

Pächter’s Jewish wife, Adele, was forced to sell it in the 1930s due to persecution. After several changes of ownership, it was acquired in 1941 via Hans W. Lange for the planned Führermuseum in Linz. After the war, the work was transferred to the Albertina in Vienna by the Federal Monuments Office. From there it was returned to Adele Pächter’s heirs, who entrusted it to Grisebach for sale.