Russian decorative arts at Christie's
ARTinvestment.RU   13 ноября 2010

Russian bid to Christie's, which will be held November 29, 2010, will feature about 300 works of decorative art created in the middle of the XVIII - early XX century

at Russian auction Christie's, which will be held November 29, 2010 in London, some 300 works of decorative art, created in middle of the XVIII - beginning of XX century. Top-lot auction will be the imperial presentation snuffbox Faberge gold, adorned with precious stones and enamel "guilloche" (estimate 400-600 thousand pounds).

In 1884, Carl Faberge was officially recognized by the court jeweler, and his firm became the main supplier of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty. In the entire history was made only 54 snuffbox with the portraits of Emperor Nicholas II. Only 19 of them were created by the masters of the firm Faberge, which makes them even more rare than the 50 Imperial Easter eggs.

The portrait, executed a court miniaturist Vasily Zuev, Nikolai II is depicted in form of the Transfiguration Regiment. The rectangular shape of the snuff-box, her body from the tri-color gold with blunt corners, enamel guilloche saturated blue - all these elements are recognizable imprint of the court style of Louis XVI and serve as a vivid example of the influence of French culture of the XVIII century Russian tradition - in particular, the custom of giving gold snuff boxes.

snuff-box was purchased from Faberge May 16, 1909 for 2500 rubles and included in the Journal of orders of the Imperial Cabinet. In 1911 she was decorated with a portrait of Nicholas II by Vasily Zuev. December 12, 1913 on behalf of the Emperor, it was presented as a gift to the well-known diplomat and politician Turhanu Pasha (1846-1927), perhaps in honor of his five years' service at the head of the Turkish Embassy in St. Petersburg. Turkish Embassy Turhan Pasha headed in 1873, and in the years 1908-1913, he returned to St. Petersburg with the rank of ambassador. (Later, in 1914 and in 1918-1920 Turhan Pasha served as Prime Minister of Albania.)

Family present owner bought the snuff-box in 1919, since jewelry is passed on inheritance and the market did not appear.

The auction will exhibited another imperial presentation snuffbox with the stigma of the master Friedrich Kehl. The cover of this snuffbox decorated with green enamel "guilloche" and miniature depicting the Emperor Nicholas II in the form of the Transfiguration Regiment (estimate 250-350 thousand pounds). In 1891, the Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich snuffbox presented to Major General and Ural Ataman Cossack troops P. Shipov, and in 1896, after Thorns sold it to representatives of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty (while it was normal practice), Czar Nicholas II conferred its general Tournier (1841-1912), who led the troops the president of France.

At the auction will exhibited a small selection of works from the collection of Faberge Duke of Portland. Top-lot section will table clocks of the two colors of gold, set in silver (estimate 50-80 thousand pounds), watches were manufactured in St. Petersburg, in the workshop of Michael Perkhin (inventory number 2316) about 1899-1908 years. It is believed that all items of Faberge (lots 218. 232, 256 and 259) were added to the collection of the wife of the seventh Duke of Portland Ivy Gordon-Lennox (1887-1982), in the years 1912-1915 she was the maid of honor at the Dowager Queen Alexandra of England and probably took over from her love for the work of Faberge. It is noteworthy that at the auction spotted sea lion figurine of obsidian on the base of rock crystal (estimate 80-120 thousand pounds), the same figure, bought by Queen Alexandra, now kept in the royal collection. From the Portland collection is still 2 of Faberge: candy-box of jade, set in gold in three colors and decorated with enamel "guilloche" (estimate 50-80 thousand pounds), and a bowl of jade in the shape of a dove lying with ruby eyes, set in gold (estimate 12-18 thousand pounds).

Among other items of Faberge particular attention should be candy-box of two-color gold, created in the studio of Michael Perkhin (estimate 100-150 thousand pounds, lot number 267), and an icon of St Vladimir in the salary of gilded silver, decorated with enamel cloisonné "with the stigma of Faberge and imperial interest created in Moscow, about 1907-1917 (estimate 70-100 thousand pounds). Icon of put up for auction in original wooden case.

Around 1898 Faberge craftsmen made brooch (estimate 10-15 thousand pounds). It is framed in gold and decorated with enamel guilloche and a sprig of lily of the valley, inlaid with diamonds. The brooch was presented to Alexandra close friend Baroness Marion-Louise von Ungern-Sternberg, which the empress called Polly. The cover letter Alexandra Polly wants all the best for the birth of her first child. A girl named Alix in honor of the Empress, who became her godmother.

Section of products from china headed two-handed pair of vases made in St. Petersburg, the Imperial Porcelain Factory near 1850-1860 (estimate 600-900 thousand pounds). Both vases are in the form of amphorae and painted in 1867, one - Andrei Kirsanov based on the work of Jacob Ohtervelta "singer", second - Basil Midinym based on paintings by Gerard Terborch "Obtaining a letter." In 1860 these vases were made as display objects for international and national shows. Many of them are decorated with replicas of works by old masters and paintings of the XIX century: the central part of the vase painters of the Imperial Porcelain Factory was used as a "canvas" on which they painted miniatures based on famous paintings. Often they were smaller versions of paintings that are in the Hermitage, the Academy of Fine Arts or in the collections of the imperial palaces. In most cases, on the vases to name the creators of original paintings and those who wrote the copy on porcelain. Both paintings by Dutch masters, used as source material for painting these vases formerly in the Hermitage collection; canvas Terborch Gerard (1617-1681) "Getting the message" still included in the exhibit, but the work of Jacob Ohtervelta (1634-1682) " Singer has been lost, and it remains the only reproduction of the copy on the vase.

Artists Andrei Kirsanov, and Vassili Midin worked at the Imperial Porcelain Factory in the middle of the XIX century and were fairly well known. Kirsanov was the son of the workers and trained at the school at the factory. Midin went to work at the plant in 1845, in 1852-1857 he studied at the Academy of Arts. Both vases were supposedly created at the end of the reign of Nicholas I - the beginning of the reign of Alexander II.

the attention of collectors will be another pair of two-handed oval vases made in St. Petersburg, masters of the Imperial Porcelain Factory in 1839, and experts estimated the auction house at 300-500 thousand pounds. These vases are decorated with reproductions of paintings, too, "Singer" and "Getting the message" by Alexander Nesterov. It is believed that during the reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855) at the Imperial Porcelain Factory had produced a large number of vases, which to this day is unsurpassed example of superior craftsmanship. The best samples of traditional imperial family were put on Christmas and Easter, and later decorated halls of palaces and mansions. Some vases are made to order as a gift to both Russian and foreigners. The son of working the Imperial Factory, Alexander Nesterov, became a painter in 1834, he worked in that position until 1859 and gained fame as one of the best masters of the era of Nicholas I.

In a separate section for sale will be offered a selection of 20 pieces of furniture and objects of decorative art created by Duchess Maria Tenisheva and work of art and industry workshops in the estates and Talashkino Abramtzevo. One of the top lots of the section is a bronze paperweight in the shape of a swan, decorated with enamel, 1908 (estimate 100-120 thousand pounds). This work is part of a series of seven bronze sculptures in the shape of animals (fish, pigeons, cats, pigs, owls and a rooster), emerged from the Paris workshop Tenisheva. Six figures represented a casket, but this work was clearly conceived as a paperweight. All of the series were exhibited in Prague and Paris in 1909, and their success was so great that later devoted to them a separate article published in the Russian press called "accursed thing beast." Boxes in the shape of a fish and a dove have been sold at auction at Christie's in June this year.

On sale will be proposed a pair of candlesticks of gilded bronze, decorated with enamel and ivory (1907), created by Maria Tenisheva and exhibited in Paris, London and Moscow (estimate 120-150 thousand pounds).

working artistically -industrial workshops in Talashkino in 1900 was made wedding dining room tablecloth linen, decorated with colorful embroidery. The central motif of art, made to the drawings, and V. A. Zinoviev Beketov, a scene depicting amorous couples at the tree, the edges of the tablecloth are decorated with figures of dancers, hunters and horseback riders, as well as stylized representations of birds and trees, embroidered with artificial pearls (estimate: 50-70 thousand pounds). Attention collectors will be rare rectangular frame made of pine and maple, made in Talashkinskih workshops in 1900. The frame is decorated with burnt wood and lacquered landscape motives based on sketches Vrubel (estimate 35-45 thousand pounds) .

Source : Press Release Christie's