Exhibitions

Pre-Historic

Löwenmensch Ulm_Lion Man_Eiszeit Kunst_Ice Age Art
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
The wild horse from the Vogelherd cave is a animal shaped figure carved from mammoth ivory, which was excavated in the cave "Vogelherd" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The figurine is up to approx. 32,000 years old and one example of the many finds of similar figurines in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
The lion head (picture shows a replica) from the Vogelherd cave is a animal shaped figure carved from mammoth ivory, which was excavated in the cave "Vogelherd" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The figurine is up to approx. 40,000 years old and one example of the many finds of similar figurines in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
This pre-historic flute from the Hohle Fels cave is a 40.000 year old music instrument made out of poultry bones. The flute was excavated at the cave "Hohle Fels" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The flute belongs to the oldest music instruments worldwide and is one example of similar findings in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
This pre-historic flute from the Hohle Fels cave is a 40.000 year old music instrument made out of poultry bones. The flute was excavated at the cave "Hohle Fels" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The flute belongs to the oldest music instruments worldwide and is one example of similar findings in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
The Venus vom Hohlefels is an approx. six centimeter high Venus figure carved from mammoth ivory, which was excavated in the cave "Hohle Fels" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The figurine is up to approx. 40,000 years old and one example of the many finds of similar figurines in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
The water bird vom Hohlefels is an animal shaped figure carved from mammoth ivory, which was excavated in the cave "Hohle Fels" at the southern foot of the Swabian Alb in Germany. The figurine is up to approx. 40,000 years old and one example of the many finds of similar figurines in the region which mark the oldest known creative works of early humans. At 40,000 years old, it is the oldest known bird image in the world. The body of the
Findings of several steps in order to carve a drop-shaped pendant which date back approx. 29.000 years and were found at the Geißenklösterle cave in South-Germany. The many findings in the region mark the oldest known creative works of early humans.
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia
Höhlen Schwäbische Alb_Caves in South Germany, Swabia

Antiquity

Archive Roman Legion Coin
Archive Roman Legion Camp Gate Coin
An early form of branding was invented by ancient Greek potters who placed their signatures on their products e.g. vases, drinking cups, plates, etc. in order to distuingusih themselves from their competitors. The earliest signatures were found on Corinthian pottery from the early 6th century. The example shown in the enclosed picture shows a vase signed by the potter Nikias. The letters translate in "Nikias made me". The images on the vase shows the goddess Athena with another inscription which translates in "One of the prizes from Athens". On the other side of the vase a footrace of men is shown with the inscription that translates to "stadion race of men" from the Panathenaic festival in Athens where such amphoras were given to winners of certain contests and also included olive oil from sacred groves e.g. from Attica. This amphora belongs to the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and is dated between 566 and 550 B.C.
Pompeii ancient political advertising written letters painted on a house wall
An early form of branding was invented by ancient Greek potters who placed their signatures on their products e.g. vases, drinking cups, plates, etc. in order to distuingusih themselves from their competitors. The earliest signatures were found on Corinthian pottery from the early 6th century. The example shown in the enclosed picture shows a vase signed by the potter Nikias. The letters translate in "Nikias made me". The images on the vase shows the goddess Athena with another inscription which translates in "One of the prizes from Athens". On the other side of the vase a footrace of men is shown with the inscription that translates to "stadion race of men" from the Panathenaic festival in Athens where such amphoras were given to winners of certain contests and also included olive oil from sacred groves e.g. from Attica. This amphora belongs to the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and is dated between 566 and 550 B.C.
An early form of branding was invented by ancient Greek potters who placed their signatures on their products e.g. vases, drinking cups, plates, etc. in order to distuingusih themselves from their competitors. The earliest signatures were found on Corinthian pottery from the early 6th century. The example shown in the enclosed picture shows a vase signed by the potter Nikias. The letters translate in "Nikias made me". The images on the vase shows the goddess Athena with another inscription which translates in "One of the prizes from Athens". On the other side of the vase a footrace of men is shown with the inscription that translates to "stadion race of men" from the Panathenaic festival in Athens where such amphoras were given to winners of certain contests and also included olive oil from sacred groves e.g. from Attica. This amphora belongs to the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and is dated between 566 and 550 B.C.
Signatures on Greek pottery can be linked to early branding activities. According to Phoca and Valavanis (1992) there used to be a high competition between potteries which led them to the idea to distuingusih themselves from others e.g. via their signature or even forerunners of advertising claims. The picture above shows a signature on a drinking cup of the potter Sosias from approx. 500 BC found in Vulca, Italy and is on display at the "Neues Museum" in Berlin, Germany.
Signatures on Greek pottery can be linked to early branding activities. According to Phoca and Valavanis (1992) there used to be a high competition between potteries which led them to the idea to distuingusih themselves from others e.g. via their signature or even forerunners of advertising claims. The picture above shows a signature on a drinking cup of the potter Sosias from approx. 500 BC found in Vulca, Italy and is on display at the "Neues Museum" in Berlin, Germany.
Signatures on Greek pottery can be linked to early branding activities. According to Phoca and Valavanis (1992) there used to be a high competition between potteries which led them to the idea to distuingusih themselves from others e.g. via their signature or even forerunners of advertising claims. The picture above shows a signature on a drinking cup of the potter Sosias from approx. 500 BC found in Vulca, Italy and is on display at the "Neues Museum" in Berlin, Germany.
The scene around the cup depicts four pairs of gladiators fighting. Each man is identified by name in the Latin inscription above him. Some of the names match those of known gladiators who became famous in games held in Rome during the Julio-Claudian period, suggesting that such cups may have been made as souvenirs. The cup dates back to 50 - 100 A.D.
The first evidence of marketing practice are almost as old as the earliest forms of written language and date back to approx. 5.000 B.C. Records of one of the first advertising practices from have been found on clay tablets in ancient Mesopotamia in cuneiform writings. The enclosed picture is a cuneiform clay tablet which in this case was an early form of a customer complaint letter from Nanni to Ea-nasir complaining that the wrong grade of copper ore has been delivered after a gulf voyage and about misdirection and delay of a further delivery. The cuneiform tablet belongs to the collection of the British Museum and dates back to 1750 BC and was found in the archaic city of Ur in ancient Mesopotamia i.e. Iraq.
In ancient times, coins acted as the first mass media of this period. Several coins exist, where images of rulers, locations and historic events (e.g. wars, battles, sport events, etc.) were portraied and as such educated people. The coin in the enclosed picture is a good example as it was produced in a royal coin shop in Macedon, Pella and Amphipolis. The gold stater coin was produced between 322–315 B.C. and shows Alexander the Great. It was minted shortly after his death and for many symbolized his achievements for the Hellenistic society.
In ancient times, coins acted as the first mass media of this period. Several coins exist, where images of rulers, locations and historic events (e.g. wars, battles, sport events, etc.) were portraied and as such educated people. The coin in the enclosed picture is a good example as it was produced in a royal coin shop in Macedon, Pella and Amphipolis. The gold stater coin was produced between 322–315 B.C. and shows Alexander the Great. It was minted shortly after his death and for many symbolized his achievements for the Hellenistic society.

Middle Ages

Image of the oldest newspaper advertisment in the dutch newspaper Jansz’ Tydinghen uyt Verscheyde Quartieren from 1626
First printed advertising "Jinan Liu's Needle Shop" 960-1279.A Chinese familiy business selling needles were the first to use a bronze printing plate to produce standardized printed posters for promoting their business. The business was called "Jinan Liu´s Fine Needle Shop" and used this advertising method during the Song dynasty. The advertisement included a company logo with a white rabbit as well as the following text: "We buy high quality steel rods and make fine quality needles, to be ready for use at home in not time."
The German painter Albrecht Duerer was one of the most famous painter in his period. Due to a high demand of his paintings he was one of the first artists to develop his own trade mark logo i.e. monograph "AD" which he included in every painting from 1498. Furthermore, Albrecht Duerer was pioneering in creating a distribution network of his works throughout Europe and undertaking legal actions against thiefs of intellectual property e.g. against illegally produced copies of his paintings.
The German multi talent Lucas Cranach the Elder, was a Renaissance painter, woodcut printmaker and engraver who used these state of the art methods of his time to produce merchandise on a large industrial scale. His most famous portrait was the famous historical figure of Martin Luther.
The German multi talent Lucas Cranach the Elder, was a Renaissance painter, woodcut printmaker and engraver who used these state of the art methods of his time to produce merchandise on a large industrial scale. His most famous portrait was the famous historical figure of Martin Luther.