Eugen Gutmann (1840–1925) was born into a Jewish family involved in banking, a career path he followed. He participated in numerous notable financial transactions, such as the transformation of the private banking firm Gebrüder Kaskel into a joint-stock company, a move that led to the formation of Dresdner Bank. He was also a great collector. He amassed numerous luxury items—such as porcelain, silverware, ivory, and furniture—that attracted the attention of dealers and collectors. In 1902, his complicated financial situation forced him to part with part of his collection, a large portion of which was acquired by the American magnate John Pierpont Morgan (Joned, 1907).
Bibliography
JONED, Alfred (1907): Catalogue of the Gutmann Collection of Plate now the Property of J. Pierpont Morgan, Bembrose & Sons Limited, Londres.