Jesper Bruun Rasmussen's 60th Jubilee – A Hammer and Heart Beating for Art

Owner of a prestigious auction house, art connoisseur extraordinaire and auctioneer with popular appeal. Jesper Bruun Rasmussen has been at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers for 60 years, and we celebrate his jubilee at the Christmas auction in Copenhagen.

"Going once, going twice! Sold to the lady in the back.” This is how we know Jesper Bruun Rasmussen – auctioning off design and art in the saleroom at Bredgade 33 in the heart of Copenhagen. The Danish auction industry's "grand old man" can now celebrate his 60th anniversary with the company. After a lifetime spent at the centre of the art market, he has also become a well-known figure far beyond the borders of Denmark.

"I continue to enjoy every single day working with art, and what drives me is especially the detective work concerning the provenances of the artwork and setting the right estimates before stepping on to the podium with my father's now 73-year-old ivory hammer," says Jesper.

60 Years in the Service of Art

"I have been in the art world for six decades, and over the years I have had the pleasure of selling a plethora of spectacular and precious works of art," says Jesper.

The journey leading up to the present has been eventful for Jesper. Instead of attending high school, he was sent on ‘grand tours’ to England, France and the United States, where he learned the languages and gained valuable insights into the international art world. He worked for other large auction houses, including Sotheby’s in London and Parke-Bernet in New York, and it was during these trips abroad that art truly caught his interest.

Back home in Copenhagen, 19-year-old Jesper was brought into the family business by his father Arne Bruun Rasmussen on an autumn day in 1961. Jesper’s first task was to weigh silverware, but he soon advanced through the company, and since 1985, he has been in charge of Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers. Today, it is one of Scandinavia's largest and oldest auction houses, and his two children Alexa and Frederik also work there.

Tradition and Renewal go Hand in Hand

Jesper's father founded the auction house in 1948 at Bredgade 33, which also today sets the scene for the company's Live Auctions that are now accompanied by both Online Auctions and Direct Auctions.

“I am awed at the changes that have taken place since I started here! We have truly become an international and digitalized auction house, where tradition and renewal go hand in hand. From employing about 20 people, we currently have around 200 employees. We have also continuously expanded the repertoire at our auctions. From focusing exclusively on older paintings and antiques, we now sell everything from modern art, design and jewellery to coins, stamps, wine and books,” he says.

Working in the service of art takes up most of Jesper's time. He has his daily routines in the main office in Copenhagen's Nordhavn and in the old saleroom at Bredgade 33. He enjoys putting his accumulated knowledge to good use, and the company's specialists still often ask him for advice when a work of art needs a valuation.

Through his many years of work in the art world, Jesper has gotten to know many of the auction house's customers, which include private collectors, art dealers, conservators, artists and Danish and international museums. When he is not busy with appraisals and auctions, he travels the world to improve his skills and stay up to date on exhibitions, art fairs and the major international auction houses – all with a heart that beats for art.

"You shouldn’t speculate in art, you should simply hang the work on the wall and enjoy it," he says.

The jubilee Is Celebrated at the Christmas Auction in Bredgade

The doors to the final auction of the year at Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen are set to open. Here, Jesper and the house's other auctioneers will sell art, antiques, design, jewellery and wristwatches. As usual, we begin with a preview, where everyone is welcome to take a closer look at the artwork and talk to our specialists.

To mark Jesper's 60th jubilee, the auction house invites you inside on the preview’s opening day on Thursday 25 November between 3-6 pm. Join in the celebration of the jubilarian, where Champagne will be served and accompanied by the sound of jazz and a view of the beautiful preview.

As part of the celebration, a short film has been made, which looks back at Jesper's journey through 60 years in the service of art. Watch the film HERE.

Find all the auctions and catalogues for this year's final auction in Bredgade HERE.

View the times for the preview and the auctions in our calendar HERE.