Jesper Bruun Rasmussen

A life in the service of art

Jesper Bruun Rasmussen (b. 1942) has devoted most of his life to art and is a quintessential part of Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers. In the renowned Danish auction house, he has spent most of his life selling art, modern design, jewellery, antiques and much more from the podium while using the auction gavel of his father. Until 2022, Jesper Bruun Rasmussen and his family were the owners of the company, but today, the company is owned by the British auction house Bonhams – one of the oldest and leading companies in the business.

Jesper Bruun Rasmussen’s impressive career began back in 1961, when he as a 19-year-old became an apprentice to his father Arne Bruun Rasmussen, who founded the company in the heart of Copenhagen in 1948. Here Jesper began weighing silverware, but he gradually worked his way up through the ranks alongside a growing company which went from ten employees at the outset to currently employing 140 people. In 2021, he could celebrate his 60th anniversary in the auction house, which Jesper was the head of from 1985 to 2022.

Jesper will continue his professional journey towards new global horizons as part of the Bonhams network, where core values such as knowledge, trustworthiness, engagement and renewal still remain centre stage.  The old Copenhagen-based auction house is now being led by Bonhams in a similar spirit as the family has had instilled in the company since the start. Here, Jesper shares his vast knowledge and presides over auctions at Bredgade 33, while he with great dedication and a sense of detail participates in the production of catalogues and planning of the auction viewings. In the auction business, market forces and experience economy go hand in hand. It is all about creating the right environment, establishing contacts, providing entertainment and making a good deal – and Jesper Bruun Rasmussen also happens to be a businessman and auctioneer second to none!