History of our auction house

The beginnings

Before the First World War, August Dobiaschofsky moved to Bern with his family. In 1923, he opened an art dealership with a gilding and framing workshop, which he later expanded to include a gallery.

The first auction

In the late 1950s, his son Hans Dobiaschofsky took over the family business and realised his idea of founding an auction house of his own. The first auction of art and antiques took place on 10 and 11 April 1959. Over the following 30 years, the house held almost 70 auctions.

New directions since 1989

In 1989, Marius J. Heer took over the Galerie Dobiaschofsky. Together with art historians and a dedicated team, he has established the house on the international art market.

Today

Twice a year, in early May and early November, around 3,000 objects come under the hammer. Our specialities are Swiss art, international paintings, modern prints, posters, antiques and jewellery.

Personal advice

Our staff will be happy to advise you without obligation and in confidence, and can research individual works of art on request. We can also assess valuable single pieces and larger collections at your home.

100th anniversary

Since 1923, Dobiaschofsky has grown from a small gilding and framing workshop into one of Switzerland’s leading auction houses. With passion, expertise and the trust of our clients, we have been privileged to help shape a century of art history.

The anniversary book “100 Years of Dobiaschofsky” tells the story of our house – from its modest beginnings and first auctions to its international outlook today. It shows how commitment, expertise and a love of art connect generations and give our house its distinctive identity.

Read the full chronicle of our 100-year history here: