Expert MKAAD Anatoly Borovkov comments Russian lots that are included in the book auction catalogs Christie's 1 and 3 June

waited. The first international book trades in 2009 will be held June 3 in London at auction Christie's, entitled «Wonderful printed books and manuscripts». Of the 280 lots offered at these auctions, only 19 deal with Russia conditional or printed in Russia. And that instead of once promised houses Christie's and Sotheby's spring auctions full of Russian books.

As I predicted earlier, given the fact that the auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's has decided, in crisis, lower starting prices for the deliverer, good books, these Russian auction house in the near future will not see! Really good books go to trade directly in Russia and a number of topics previously «promoted» and reached a peak price for Russian buyers, even going into nothingness. I am referring to the luxurious historical publications, not the subject of world-class collection, but sold previously very expensive because of high oil revenues and its certainly a beautiful appearance.

An interesting and still highly in demand in the global market will be first editions of Russian classics from around the world: Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky, Ivan Turgenev and A. Chekhov. Books and the first publication of the Russian classics of world science. Editions Silver Age poets: Anna Akhmatova, M. Tsvetaeva, L. Pasternak, O. Mandelshtam. Books Russian Futurists, and other Russian avant-garde publications. Particular interest is now enjoyed by the Soviet children's books 1920-30's, designed by artists, constructivists - those publications no analogues in world culture. But unfortunately, I think, in the near future we will not see at the auctions. The two scientific books, Christie's declared on June 3, has been exhibited at auction in November 2008 and have not been claimed, however, on most other high prices, and the English pound against the dollar while a quarter had been more expensive. So, Russian items:

Lot 41 - a rare autograph music of Tchaikovsky with the estimate of 90-120 thousand pounds. Musical autographs Russian composers are in demand on the world market, but the price ... Let's see how will be.

Lot 91 - nabivshee oskominu «Description coronation of Alexander II» 1856 edition, large folio size 90 x 67 cm the same in French with the estimate of 25-35 thousand pounds.

Lot 95 - now on duty at the Russian bid «Byzantine enamels» A. Zvenigorodsky and N. Kondakova 1892, and again, not in Russian ( that really rare ) with the estimate of 18-25 thousand pounds. Perhaps, indeed, these two gorgeous lot because of the relatively small evaluation and who will buy? But delivery to Moscow of the weights - the horror!

Lot 98 - the first publication of the famous table in the Journal of D. Mendeleyev Russian Chemical Society in March 1869, in the first year of a magazine with a circulation of only 80 copies, unconditional international rarity. Grade 6-9 thousand pounds, in November 2008, this lot is exhibited for the 10-15 thousand pounds.

Present at the auction and the book Nabokov with his original drawings, which have also become a mandatory program of the last few auctions. A few years ago in Paris, was sold to a large archive of the writer for moderate money, since that time at the auctions began to appear some items from the archive at high prices. We believe it?

Lot 103 - «Common Armorial princely families of Russian Empire» 1799-1840's edition. Absolute rarity. Armorial described many bibliographies, and their descriptions of the auction house has added a link to a description Vengerovyh from their well-known «Bibliohroniki» v. 2. But, unfortunately, of the ten volumes of the six offered only the latest and the assessment of 50-80 thousand pounds. Not too much there for the crisis?

Lot 104 - «The device for detecting and recording electrical oscillations» Alexander Popov. Reprint articles from the Russian Journal of Physical and Chemical Society in 1895 with the two schemes. This is the pride of Russian science, the world's first publication about the invention of the radio circuits which are already at a later date, a year-plus, tear out this edition and Marconi patented this invention in its own name. The best gift for the magnates of radio and television and other means of mass communication. Grade 3-5 thousand pounds. The November catalog has been estimated at 4-6 thousand pounds.

Lot 107 - perhaps the most interesting of all the Russian at the auction. This album with the title «Souvenirs from the Crimean War, 1854-56 years» The album consists of 14 wonderful watercolors and two drawings in ink of foreign artists who were present during the hostilities in the Crimea. True, and the price bite: 40-60 thousand pounds. Slightly buy?

Lot 108 - Prohibited in Russia, but not a rare work of Tolstoy «the kingdom of God is within you», published in Berlin in two volumes in 1894 and placed for auction with undeservedly inflated price. The work described in the catalog as a rarity, available almost in two libraries in the world. In fact, even in 1893 it appeared in manuscript edition hectograph and indeed extremely rare. To be at the auction described in the consolidated edition of the directory «banned in Russia and illegal publications» under number 2165, indicating that there are 10 Russian libraries. Price for the «rare masterpiece» - 4-6 thousand pounds. Well done deliverer, making sure the auction house to put it with such prices.

And the last lot 109 - a complete set of the magazine «Firebird» for 1921-1926 years. Complete, 14 rooms, is not bound, with the publication covers. The real score 5-8 thousand pounds.

On the other lots of so-called Russian strings do not want to write. Do not deserve, and they are not Russian.

PS: A little later, at Christie's auction has a directory of book that will take place on 1 June. In this directory are also included eight lots of Russians, but they did not decorate the Russian book theme bidding.

It may be noted Lot 249 - «Arms of cities and regions of the Russian empire» 1880 edition with 83 chromolithograph and a real estimate of 3-5 thousand pounds.

Lot 251 - book A. Kruchenykh «Vozropschem» 1913, from 2 lithography K. , and a - And it is not clear is paltry score lot 248 - a collection of Georgian Futurists «H2SO4». Even not very good, it is estimated extremely low 0,8-1,2 thousand pounds. But in November 2006, also at auction Christie's, in the evaluation of 5-8 thousand pounds, this collection was sold for 15 thousand pounds, lot number 138. I think it is necessary to take .

The other lots do not deserve attention, they can be bought in Moscow a much cheaper starting price of auction.

expert, a member of MKAAD Anatoly Borovkov