Rising Star with a Keen Eye for Historical Collections

Karl-Magnus grew up in a family of engineers, but he himself had a strong interest in history. Holidays were spent at museums and castles rather than on the beach, and it was with his grandmother that he learned to appreciate beautiful objects. At the age of ten, he discovered auction listings in the Sunday newspaper – a discovery that soon sparked a fascination with a whole new world.

“Little did I know then that twenty years later I would be handling auctions worth millions of kronor,” says Karl-Magnus.

Found His Place at Stockholms Auktionsverk

After studying cultural heritage conservation and art history, Karl-Magnus worked as a museum educator at Drottningholm and Haga Palaces. But when he took a part-time job at Stockholms Auktionsverk, he immediately felt he had found the right place.

“That’s when I realised I had found my home,” he says.

He started with viewings but soon moved on to consignments – an environment that proved crucial for his career development.

“There I learned about many different types of objects and met all kinds of people,” says Karl-Magnus.

New Role as Chief Specialist

After a period at Uppsala Auktionskammare, where he was, among other roles, head of the monthly auctions and responsible curator for classical furniture, applied arts, and silver, he has now stepped into his new role at Stockholms Auktionsverk.

“It’s incredibly exciting to continue developing in a field I am passionate about,” says Karl-Magnus.

Knowledge and Market Insight

Karl-Magnus emphasises the importance of both knowledge and understanding the market.

“Nobody knows everything, so networks and collaboration are crucial. At the same time, the value of an object is governed by supply and demand – it’s important to be able to guide both sellers and buyers.”

“Successfully selling something above expectations while leaving the buyer satisfied is the best scenario,” Karl-Magnus concludes.

Auctions That Make History

Karl-Magnus has been involved in several collections that truly go down in history. One example is Lars Bellman’s unique silver collection from 2021, with items ranging from the late Middle Ages to the Empire period, sold for a total of 20 million kronor. Another is this spring’s sale of the Vega Collection, with objects from Captain Louis Palander and the famous Vega Expedition, which sold for a final price of 25 million kronor, attracting winning bids from both Swedish museums and private collectors.

“Bellman and Palander represent two different aspects of our cultural heritage, but what they have in common is how these auctions show the possibility of giving historical figures and their objects a new life, while also preserving and showcasing our cultural heritage for the future,” says Karl-Magnus.