Positive estimates and projections XXXII after the Antique Salon wanted to hear everything, but that's to put them under his signature was not wanting. After the first open bidding shelf realists, hopefully, come

March 13 "Sovkom" held an auction number 128 « Russian and Western European Art XVIII - XX centuries ».

Before we talk about how the auction took place, I want to talk about the situation in the art market by mid-March of this leap year.

just ended XXXII Antique Salon, which is AI, perhaps the only one rated as a very successful (in spite of the unfriendly whisper behind the" embellishment of reality "). 2012-D in general has begun a good business revived in the twentieth of January, in spite of the political battles, not slowed down its activities in February and clearly marked in the antique salon. It was an unexpectedly large number of visitors, as a result - sales and new contacts. What remains to be tired of the crisis, gallery owner to be happy? That's right: you have to "continue the banquet».

And here's a good reason to evaluate virtually, in numbers and percentages, the current state of the art market, because the more graphic options than an open auction, difficult to come up with. Especially since the auction does not pass, not everyday, and how to position themselves to the organizers, the "big sale", with two hundred lots of serious, high-quality painting and drawing XIX - XXI centuries (three centuries, by the way), and with prices from thousands to several million rubles.

So, let's start.

People came much to the eye, about 50-60 people. It is the right audience: Serious men from 40 to 60, but there were women, mostly thirty years. I especially every time I stop in as much detail on the portrait of the bidders, because, firstly, every detail of interest, and secondly, it is useful to know what and who claimed in the market. I have heard that, they say, an antique painting is not for young people (young people assume the audience 25-30 years), young people prefer modern art and a switch, having grown up on antiques - the big question. Strange logic. You would think that those who now prefers antiques, young or not at all have been, or still were, and fell in love with the current antiques when he was still contemporary art, , ie 50, 100, 200 and more years ago ... Okay, wait and see. And while completing digress and go back to the hall.

Before tendering asked the director "Sovkoma" Yuri Tyukhtin what lots he believes the most interesting, that goes with the battle, what do his forecast for auction . From the full-scale response, he abstained - was afraid to jinx (which, incidentally, is in itself significant: the expectations of nasty talk out loud without fear), said only that the interest in trading much that 17 absentee rates, and about 20 participants who wish to haggle over the phone - is unusually high. And thanks for that.

hall slowly filled, participants viewed pictures of the future, not content directory (experienced people who know that work is in the directory might look like, or just better or worse, an authentic reproduction of natural causes do not exist). I also walked a few minutes in the hall - many pictures were incomparably better than their relatives catalog.

• room slowly filled with ...
  Photo: Konstantin Babulin, AI

all sat , trades conducted himself Yury Tyukhtin. each lot, he gave a brief description, sometimes accompanied her own assessment: not miss the opportunity - it's not expensive or museum level, if not buy, then at least look once there is a possibility . I usually do not like when, during the auction detail item (this is a directory and its own eyes), but this time somehow it turned out so well that words are not forced down the rhythm of trading and were very appropriate: a few times right after they joined the participants in the auction. As a result, the auction took place at a good pace for two hours, and with an excellent result.

The sale was billed 194 lots with a total estimate of 80,070,000 - 119,420,000 rubles. sold 100 lots (52%) in the amount of 47,511,000 rubles (47,6%).

52 percent of the lots - a lot or enough? If you look on the previous year, for "Sovkoma" the result is just average (it was better, it was worse), but in general for the Russian domestic market is very good. By the way, make a reservation: here and the result is called the way ended trading in hall.

76 lots were bought in the hall, 10 - by absentee rates and 14 - on the phone (last - almost always with bargaining in several steps). surprising here is that, despite on a weekday and traffic jams, people not only that reached the auction, so also are actively involved. It often happens that people in the room a lot, and buys five or six people, but not this time: there were many buyers, almost crawling, and can and more (which again is unusual for the last time). And half of these buyers were the same young woman, which I drew your attention at the outset. They behaved, of course, unpredictable, sometimes raising the bid at the last moment, after leading the right words about the item. Well, that plus another leading, once able to correctly assess the audience and say the right words at the right time.

Now about that and how to buy .

first three prints have not caused much interest: one of three purchased by phone without haggling. But on the schedule A. Benoit buyers were found: eight lots purchased five, three of them the same lady. graphics this time was in demand: the work of three BA Almedingena (lots 12-14) were bought and two of the four designs MVDobuzhinsky (lots 15-18) bought three. For some slightly (two to three steps) were traded, and in all cases, the winners were women. Next auction went smoothly, without a fight, lots were purchased at the start. Suddenly, the lead was not sold "Amsterdam by Moonlight» AP Bogolyubov (Lot 26), but for the canvas," Winter. In the outskirts » R. A. Bergholz (Lot 29) in the fight to take two participants in the hall and part-time rate, in seven steps from the start at 600 rubles price has risen by half, to 1.2 million won Hall.

Bergholz R. Winter. In the outskirts late XIX - early XX century Oil on canvas. 71 x 109,5 shovel. March 13, 2012. Lot 12 Estimate: 600-750 thousand rubles Result: 1.2 million rubles Source: sovcom.ru

A special string of works on Hunting did not cause the interest of European artists of the XIX century, has not helped them any good size, not quite a decent quality, comfort or price range (10-50 thousand dollars. AU). But for the tempera "black grouse on a lek» VL Muraveva (Lot 47) grabbed the phone, correspondence rate and the hall; 250,000 from the start in five steps reached 450 rubles, defeated Hall. In the fight for 6-7 steps away canvas "by elk» S. Voroshilov (850 thousand, Lot 49), cardboard "Capercaillie» KS Vysotskii (500 000 rubles, Lot 50), oil on canvas "In foxes» A. Stepanova (1,2 million rubles , Lot 51). Three or four people in the room fighting for canvases "Bison in Winter Forest» YI Brovary (a million rubles, Lot 55), "Wolf hunting with hounds» EA Tikhmenev (a , 4 million rubles, Lot 56), "The hunt for a fox» S. Voroshilov ( 750,000 rubles, Lot 58). It is known that a hunting theme is always in demand, but, as we have seen so far only in the works of local artists.

Stepanov A. According to foxes. 1898-1899 Oil on canvas. 39.5 x 56 Sovkom. March 13, 2012. Lot 51 Estimate: 600-900 thousand rubles Result: 1.2 million rubles Source: sovcom.ru

Tikhmenev EA Wolf hunting with hounds. 1904 Oil on canvas. 57.5 x 89 shovel. March 13, 2012. Lot 56 Estimate: 0.9-1.2 million rubles Result: 1.4 million rubles Source: sovcom.ru

In a small "oil" thong post-war painting (lots 97-101) sold three works, all at the start, which surprised the lead: strange ... With these oil prices would have to go up and prices for paintings of this subject, but no. While not go .

There was not wanting in the hall, no correspondence betting cartoons VN Denis and Kukryniksov (lots 120-123). Figure NN Zhukov «Lenin for a walk" (lot 124) caused a small storm in a glass of water (ie, a small bargain) only because it drew attention to the hall leading to the girl on the bike, which helped Lenin: Please note, the girl is not a schoolgirl .

NN Zhukov Lenin on a walk. 1940 Mixed media on paper technique. 26.5 x 21 Sovkom. March 13, 2012. Lot 124 Estimate: 30-45 thousand rubles Result: 36 000 rubles Source: sovcom.ru