Why not be lazy and get up off the couch, get out from the computer and come up for auction in person - even if the puddles in the street, and you yourself grounded?

Well, first, likely surprises. On the Internet, do not read it, which usually start at Shishkin is one half of the lower estimate listed in the catalog. And secondly, if Leonid Stepanovich in the mood, it trades at times turned into an attraction of unprecedented generosity. At these moments, potentially twenty thousandth issued work can be bought at any price. Offer at least the ruble - and the auctioneer will give, once promised.

now in order. Auctions are held on Sundays - now the only day in the week, which is not at the Moscow traffic jams. As latecomers almost was not, after a brief survey of public opinion decided that the auction will continue to put not on a Saturday, and on Sunday. Well, it is the right step.

the beginning of trading in a hall full of about 20 people. And foreigners come, obviously the first time for pleasure. But still could not resist and started buying. Only really in the room bought seven people, plus a few active buyers on the phones. Percentage zaochku also was a good, feels about 10. For sure it's useful, but really online shoppers got little: buyers in the audience heckled them easily cautious rate. By tradition, announced before the start of withdrawal of lots (25 and 71). This is standard practice. According to the rules Shishkin, if prior to the auction price the buyer is willing to give the maximum estimate, then the thing will give him no trades. So, at stake were 95 lots.

Special masterpieces was not among them. There were things stronger and weaker, but overall the material is not the investment. I looked a couple of works: "Seeing" with the Red Sandyreva Ivan (item 31) and "Purple Snow" George Matuszewski (the Vladimir school, lot 92). The first, which is much better live than in the photo, not bought for 30 000 startup. A Matuszewski went for 44,000. From the "names" was, for example, drawing (lot 82, bought for 65,000 rubles) and expensive Tarkhov (not sold).

Yuri Matuszewski (1930-1999). Lilac snow. 1960 Canvas on cardboard, oil. 50 x 60 auction Leonid Shishkin. 02/10/2013. Lot 92 Estimate: 50 000-70 000 Result: 44 000

At some point, to tease customers Shishkin declared "Lot-so, what's your price?". And those who did not hesitate, get your items for 1000, 2000 or 5000 rubles, despite estimeyty 20 000-30 000. And it was not so rare. At last Sunday's auction as many as 12 design work had been sold in the range of 1000-5000 rubles in the "offer." In particular, lot 79 was sold for 1000 rubles, and Lot 80 - 2000 rubles. Could buy cheaper, but educated audience somehow hesitate to do absolutely symbolic stakes. Shishkin himself even made a surprised appearance, "given immediately 5000? Strange, could start with two rubles. " And among the cheapest works sometimes come across very personal.

Shishkin At some point decided to recall that the commission is 5 percent more expensive items for 500,000 rubles (for cheaper - 10 percent) . In this place and the hall somewhere chuckled - say, is unlikely to reach 5 percent, is not expected such prices. And, as it turned out, nothing ironic. Albeit only once, but bar was taken. Paris watercolor Soviet academician Alexander Gerasimov (Lot 54) was sold for 600 thousand rubles. In a fight in a few steps with a double excess of estimate. They say that the winner of the Stalin Prize four imprinted with your favorite kind of the point of all the Impressionists.

Alexander M. Gerasimov (1881-1963). On the bank of the Seine. Outskirts of Paris. Saint-Cloud. 1934 Watercolour. 48.5 x 46 auction Leonid Shishkin. 02/10/2013. Lot 54 Estimate: 300 000-400 000 Result: 600 000

In this watercolor, the three most expensive lots of trades entered two paintings Thierry : still life (Lot 15) for 330 thousand rubles and landscape (lot 55) for 350 thousand. In presenting this work early in the life of the departed artist Shishkin told a funny story. Thierry was a student Petrovicheva , so his works of the 1920s are similar to products Petrovicheva stylistically, and the materials and does used are the same. So one day, when the work was brought to Thierry expertise (notice that this is Thierry), art reached for his head like manner so that a few of these works have been wrongly attributed Petrovicheva. Was or was not, but after such a landscape Thierry left with a good background in the bargaining room.

EUGENE EDUARDOVICH Thierry (1909-1935) Masonite Landscape, oil. 42 x 66,5 auction Leonid Shishkin. 02/10/2013. Lot 33 Estimate: 300 000-400 000 Result: 350 000

In the pauses between lots Shishkin had to tell a couple of parables about the "drug of collecting." Formerly Ambassador sunny country made him a couple of entertainment shopping. His warning: be careful, addictive. He answered and say, I have nothing serious, so - self-indulgence. And when it came time to leave Russia, after the issue had to permit the Ministry of Culture for the export of nearly hundreds of pictures, bought one just Shishkin. A buy ambassador not only for him. Delayed. So passion is not to be underestimated: some clients say to build more cottages for paintings - the walls in the bedrooms have ended.

downside? Wishes? Here it is difficult to advise. Maitre auction business in Russia knows, as not to spoil the auction . Perhaps only two hours on 95 lots still hard. Well, investment grade items in the catalog I would like more.

A final statistics auction yet is this: of the 95 actually put up for public auction lots were sold to 54 subject. Upon purchasing activity was even higher, but several lots if rates have not reached the reserve. Plus, something likely to sell additional and after trading - is in Shishkin not forbidden. To be fair to note that some items had been sold on the "hooligan" low price that several "clocked" at the last lots. But this is a nuance. And the rest of the account - on the scoreboard: 57 percent of the lots sold for a total of 3.272 million rubles. 20 lots of them - at a cost of up to 10 000 rubles. Well, with the initiative. All auction results are available in the hall of our subscribers.

for bids watched Vladimir Bogdanov, AI