Russian Art Soars at Sotheby's New York
Jenny Perkins
the inaugural combined sale of fine and applied works of art in New
York reaching $35,167,720 against a pre-sale estimate of $15.6/22.2
million*, the highest total ever for a sale of Russian Art worldwide.
There were multiple bids from the packed saleroom and the telephones
for nearly every lot offered, and interest came from collectors from
around the world for works of great importance and rarity. Among the
many highlights of today's sale were a Magnificent Pair of Russian
Porcelain Palace Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg,
from the Period of Nicholas I and Dated 1825 that sold for a record
$3,936,000, more than five times the high estimate, and a rediscovered
masterpiece by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, Judgment of Paris, from
the collection of the Pabst Brewing Company, which sold for a
record-breaking $2,088,000 (est. $750,000/1.1 million). Seven works
sold for more than $1 million and the sale was 83.7% sold by lot and
92.5% sold by amount.
Sonya Bekkerman and Gerard Hill, Sotheby's experts in Russian
Paintings, Fabergй and Works of Art, said, "This venture of combining
sales of paintings and works of art and developing the Russian market
in New York shows the overall strength and widespread International
demand for great Russian works of art. The results of today's sale
reveal that collectors seek quality and rarity in every category,
whether it's painting, porcelain, Fabergй or works of art. These
factors have led to the most successful Russian sale to date
worldwide."
No fewer than four bidders competed this morning for a Magnificent Pair
of Russian Porcelain Palace Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St.
Petersburg, from the Period of Nicholas I and Dated 1825 driving the
final price to $3,936,000, far above the pre-sale estimate of
$500/800,000, and a record for Russian Porcelain at auction. These
exquisite examples are each painted with an Italianate landscape and
are among the earliest made during the reign of Nicholas I. They
exemplify the outstanding production of artists employed at the
Imperial Porcelain Manufactory at this period.
The top selling painting in today's sale was a rediscovered masterpiece
by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, Judgment of Paris (1839-1915), from
the collection of the Pabst Brewing Company. Estimated to bring
$750,000/1.1 million, the monumental canvas was the subject of an
intense battle between two bidders on the telephone, finally selling to
an American buyer for $2,088,000, a record for the artist at auction.
Today's sale also featured four Important Fabergй Hardstone Figures
from the Charles R. Wood Foundation with the Figure of a Boyar, circa
1910 bringing the top price of $1,808,000 (est. $600/800,000), a record
for a Fabergй hardstone figure at auction. The Figure of a Policeman,
circa 1910 went for $1,584,000 (est. $500/700,000), the Figure of a
Ukranian Peasant, circa 1909 brought $1,068,800 (est. $400/600,000),
and the Figure of an Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards by Workmaster
Henrik Wigstrom, 1908-1917 sold for $856,000 (est. $400/600,000).
Fabergй was thought to have only made about 60 of these charming
figures, and the prices achieved this morning clearly demonstrated a
very enthusiastic response from the market.
The bidding was frenzied for the cover lot of today's sale, Boris
Dmitrievich Grigoriev's Sailors at a Cafй. As many as six different
bidders competed for the striking canvas, driving the final price to
$1,584,000, more than five times the high estimate of $300,000, and a
record for the artist at auction. Additional highlights included a
regal Portrait of Vera Fokine by Zinaida Evgenievna Serebriakova, which
came to auction directly from the Fokine family; and She Who Leads by
Nicholas Roerich, both of which sold for $688,000 against pre-sale
estimates of $200/300,000.
Other examples of Imperial Porcelain did exceedingly well today as
evidenced by five Russian Military Plates, Imperial Porcelain
Manufactory, St. Petersburg, Period of Nicholas I that drew competitive
bidding and were purchased by the same collector who was bidding over
the telephone. Two sold for $90,000 a piece, and the three from the
Charles Pankow Collection each brought $102,000 (est. $40/60,000 each).
Also from the Charles Pankow Collection came the Grand Duke Constantin
Nicholaevich's Highly Important and Rare Russian Gilded Silver
Extensive Tea and Coffee Service, Sazikov, Moscow, 1848. Approximately
eight bidders competed for the service, finally selling to a bidder on
the telephone for $1,808,000, well beyond the pre-sale estimate of
$200/300,000, and a record for a Russian Silver Tea Service at auction.
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