Russian sales in London. Results that surprised us
ARTinvestment.RU   06 декабря 2012

Overseas died down "Russian auction" - the last of the major events of the second half of the indicative. For novice investors AI found it necessary to make a few comments on the results, showed us especially surprising

died down over the sea, "Russian auction" - the last of the major events of the second half of the indicative. Passed in different ways: from the major players - well, someone - is out of hand. Were honest and records, and the strange sensation, with a question mark, at least, if not a minus. However important events took place, buyers and sellers can be heartily congratulated. Market professionals have an interesting food for thought. A novice investors got a great statistical material on which you can learn to draw conclusions. The main thing is that they are not influenced by the absurd situations that are repeatedly logged in the auction. Actually, it is for beginning investors ARTinvestment.RU thought it necessary to make a few comments on the results, showed us especially amazing.

Christie's Important Russian Art November 26, 2012 ( auction catalog)

Lot 62 . Panorama of St. Petersburg with the Bronze Horseman Color lithograph on paper Dobuzhinsky 58,4 x 169,6 Estimate: $ 46-75 thousand Result: $ 51.98 thousand . Lot 62 in the auction catalog

Comment : To think that by DOBUZHINSKY lithography for 52 thousand dollars! Yes - a huge (sixty meters across), yes - the hero-city of St. Petersburg, yes - The Bronze Horseman. But the money for the lottery drawing? Could have played a role the origin of the subject - from the collection of the Riga collector Anatoly pedal. But rather suggests that the lot was needed someone for a gift. In 2009, the same lithography was sold on the Swedish Auktionsverket for 22 thousand dollars.

Lot 64. Mstislav DOBUZHINSKY The Bronze Horseman on the background of St. Isaac's Cathedral cardboard, watercolor, mixed media. 34,3 x 43,2 Estimate: $ 16-23 thousand Result: $ 94.27 thousand Lot 64 in the auction catalog

Comment : An example of another obsession work Dobuzhinsky. Only this time without any conditionality. The original drawing. Very small - about 34 x 43. And the price again any high - almost 100 thousand dollars (94.27 thousand, to be exact). Buyers drove the price to level five times higher than the estimate. To as magic again Bronze Horseman. Without it, an adequate price for the comparable figure class - 20 thousand dollars. However, with the Petersburg stories Dobuzhinsky is already gone. Figures just overlooking the northern capital "shoot" for 50-80 thousand dollars.

Lot 67. Alexander Benois Neptune Pool, Versailles. 1926 Watercolor and mixed media. 32.5 x 44 Estimate: $ 9-12 thousand Result: $ 38 thousand Lot 67 in the auction catalog

Comment : A small figure of Alexander Benois overlooking Versailles and the estimate of 12.9 thousand dollars flew to mark 38 thousand dollars. Work is good, but not exceptional. Perhaps then worked margin on provenance: figure comes from the collection of Prince Mikhail Romanov (1924-2008). Otherwise, the thing would be cheaper than 15 thousand dollars. Estimate was not taken from the ceiling (the day comparable "Lions in Fontainebleau" with an estimate of 15-23 thousand dollars at Sotheby's were left without a buyer).

Lot 71. Nikolai Fechin Portrait of Mademoiselle Podbelskaya. 1912 canvas. 80,7 x 77,5 estimate: $ 1.2-1.8 million Result: $ 3,290,000 Lot 71 in the auction catalog

Comment : The events in the segment of the work of Nikolai Fechin recent years raises many questions among observers. More precisely, the class of Kazan the artist, and later the "Russian American" no questions. But here's prices and their sudden "blast-off" cause many perplexing. After "The Little Cowboy" (10.1 million in 2010) large feshinskie millions act as a red flag. And this time, the same thing: the average on many items portrait was sold for $ 3.3 million, with nearly 4-fold excess of the lower estimate. Why?

Lot 101. Ivan Bilibin Ivan Tsarevich and the Firebird. 1930 Pencil on paper. 27 x 20 Estimate: $ 76-110 thousand Result: $ 98 thousand Lot 101 in the auction catalog

Comment : The tiny (27 x 20 cm) watercolor Bilibin went for 98,000 dollars. It is understandable why Christie's decided to put such estimate: formally auction statistics figures Bilibin have results above, the other question - the circumstances under which they were recorded. If we talk about things directly comparable, the relevant sale for "Prince Ivan" is a watercolor of the same size "Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise" in 1931. In 2010 it was sold at Sotheby's for 57.5 thousand dollars.

Lot 102. Kustodiev The cab. 1923 canvas. 98,3 x 81,5 estimate: $ 2.3-3 million Result: $ 7,060,000 Lot 102 in the auction catalog

Comment :« The driver "from the" author "of the famous « Odalisque "Vekselberg was one of the two most resonant work past the" Russian Week ". Ambitious buyer is not confused, that it is a "late Kustodiev", which is valued generally lower. Finally, after a long battle set a new record price for the artist - $ 7 million. The former was 4.5 million and lasted three years. So nice. Is that too much. Estimate, recall, was 2.3-3 million.

Lot 174. OLEG virgin A man with a fork. 1983 canvas. 194.9 x 130,1 Estimate: $ 110-140 thousand Result: $ 203.85 thousand Lot 174 in the auction catalog

Comment : A little more than 200 thousand dollars for a two-meter gigantic thing Oleg Tselkova sixties - though not stunningly expensive (the current record - 440 thousand dollars - to the thing in the meeting Tsukanova), but all also very expensive. Especially in these times. For comparison, a day later at Sotheby's did not buy a two-meter thing, "The Soldier and the animal," exposed to the lower estimate of 118,000 dollars, and a little more expensive "A couple." Our surprise due to the fact that the work is not a very good subject to the same fine overpaid. Times a year or two. I recall that in the spring at Sotheby's still a big size painting "Man with a cat and dragonfly" was sold for 129,000 dollars. However, in such cases, the collector just do not worry, because with time the price thing «digest».

Lot 182. Rabin City and flowers. 1974 canvas. 80 x 110,5 Estimate: $ 16-23 thousand Result: $ 20 thousand Lot 182 in the auction catalog

Comment : Here, on the contrary, the customer dropped a rare chance. Buy big early, doemigratsionnogo Rabin for 20 thousand dollars - luck. In the sense that it is about 2.5-3 times lower than the current market. Thing is quite a distinctive and yet without excessive emotional tension. We can only congratulate the new owner. And for the rest let it be another confirmation that the auction happens to people draw the winning ticket.

Sotheby's Russian Paintings November 27 ( auction catalog )

Lot 171. Yuri Annenkov Portrait of Vsevolod Meyerhold. 1922 Pencil on paper, 44 x 42,5 Estimate: $ 48-80 thousand Result: $ 1.67 million Lot 171 in the auction catalog

Comment : Ironically, the main sensation of the "Russian Trading "became the pattern. Small pencil drawing of Yuri Annenkov was sold expensive graphics Picasso. Fantastic 1.67 million dollars. Yes, the plot is good, good design - many laid eyes on him. And savvy people were willing to bargain. Approximately 100 000, which assessed its market value. However, in the heat of battle in the sky-high price flew given. In the end result exceeded a reasonable upper estimate is more than 20 times.

Lot 10. Valentin Serov Portrait Praskovia Anatolievna Mammoth. 1887 canvas. 64.3 x 53,5 Estimate: $ 480-800 thousand Result: $ 1.94 million Lot 10 in the auction catalog

Comment : Normal, not an outstanding portrait of the girl brush Valentin Serov bought almost for $ 2 million. Of course, the master's, but his portraits of earlier cost twenty times cheaper. For comparison to this artist's personal auction record was 508,000 dollars. And setting its bright story work - unlike the portrait. In short, a new record is set, but the fact is caused surprise.

Lot 324. Vladimir Weisberg Nude. 1973 canvas. 98 x 48 Estimate: $ 64-96 thousand Result: $ 366.8 thousand Lot 324 in the auction catalog

Comment : Oh wow! Apparently, this is a new auction record for the sixties Vladimir Weisberg. Three thousand dollars more than the previous record, "Nude", which was sold in 2007. True, she was better. The period 2007-2008 was the peak for the price of Weisberg. Then came the crisis correction. And now everything is back to pre-crisis levels.

Actually, that is the return of the London prices for Russian art of the pre-crisis level can be considered as the general results of the "Russian Week". This applies not only to catch up the sixties. Recovery growth continues in a number of segments. Well, probably for the first time since the crisis began trading showed a fireworks records. Buyers are willing to overpay again for stronger stuff. London - so precisely. And we do not give rest, making urgent pereverstyvat our list of Russian art. Probably soon prices will move to the new marks. Do not gallop, as before, but it will move.

Prepared by Vladimir Bogdanov, AI