DESA Unicum


Piękna 1A, Warsaw, Europe 00-477
+48 22-163-66-00

About Auction House

DESA Unicum is the biggest and oldest auction house in Poland. Every day we connect collectors and creators who share the love of art. We have been co-creating the auction market for nearly 30 years, building close relationships with successive generations of art lovers. We have the largest collection of art works  for sale in Poland, including paintings, sculptures, graphics and photography.  We run a number of projects supporting new promising artists entering the market by organizing Auctions of Young Art. We are involved in charity and education. We offer comprehensive individual advice...Read More
regarding the purchase and sale of works of art. We are the exclusive partner of Polish banks in the field of art banking. We support museums in the development of their collections and promote Polish art abroad. Our team is not only experienced specialists in the history of art but also experts in the auction market who will help you sell a painting, graphics, sculptures or old photographs.Read Less

Auction Previews & News

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  • Most valuable belongings of the outstanding pianist Władysław Szpilman will be put up for auction
    Auction Industry
    Most valuable belongings of the outstanding pianist Władysław Szpilman will be put up for auction

    A companion of Szpilman’s entire musical career, the Steinway piano from 1937 was present in his house until his death. WARSAW.- The Steinway piano belonging to one of the most famous pianists, Władysław Szpilman, can be viewed in public for the first time in the biggest Polish auction house DESA Unicum. The story of the artist was shown in the Oscar-winning film The Pianist by Roman Polański. It was on this piano that he composed his most popular works. Other items which can be seen at the exhibition (from 11 September) and then purchased at the auction (on 22 September) include i.a. a pen and a pocket watch, which are the only personal belongings of the artist that survived the Warsaw Ghetto, or the exceptional score of the suite The Life of Machines. More than 50 amazing items belonging to one of the most eminent Polish musicians will be auctioned off on 22 September. A companion of Szpilman’s entire musical career, the Steinway piano from 1937 was present in his house until his death. After the war, the artist used the instrument to compose over 500 musical pieces, including his most popular hits. The piano stood in the composer’s living room and was the central element of his house. As the pianist’s wife, Halina Szpilman, remembered, he used to get up early in the morning to rehearse classical music for several hours. In the meantime, he used to compose popular songs. The instrument was decorated with photographs of Arthur Rubinstein and Bronisław Gimpel, an outstanding violinist of Jewish origin. All of them featured personal dedications to Szpilman. Due to an unusual coincidence, the manuscript of The Life of Machines, the artist’s early composition, has been preserved until today. It survived thanks to the fact that it had been sent abroad before the war. The musical history is complemented by a metronome and stopwatches used by Szpilman when composing. All these items will be on display at DESA Unicum. The Omega pocket watch and the Montblanc pen also tell an amazing story. They are also going to be presented at the action house.…

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