Despite the unfortunate number 13 in the title of the auction, the auction "From the Silver Age to the Soviet constructivism and the front of the book," April 11, 2013 have been more than successful. 80 percent of the lots sold and exceeding the average estimate for the money in more than two (!) Times - the result, which puts an end to such superstitions, once and for all.

amazing how may coexist two parallel spaces. In one North Koreans aim the missiles at the southern UK sewing case for participants in the events at the Swamp, the State Duma bake another strange law, and the price of oil as opposed to utility bills and look to start to fall. The second one - room, packed full of amateur antiquarian book, talk about the safety cover of the book autographed by A. White (lot number 39) and the subsequent bargaining crazy for her, as a result of which the price rises to six times - from one hundred to six hundred thousand, making grasp at the heart hardened auction battles booksellers. And it is not slender young nightclub, but the real strong man, with a big life experience and understanding that actually have real value - books. Of course, books - the real keepers of time and knowledge.

auction without delay ran at full speed, the tone was set members in the room - they accounted for 111 lots (45.9%of all sold ), kept up with the room rates correspondence, often raising the starting prices in two and three times, they got 107 (44.2%) lots and lots of 24 members managed to defend the phones.

Auctioneer Helen Mountain, this time a little overdone: the pace was such that I just record the results of keeping up with difficulty. Well talk about the participants, who sometimes and need time to recover after hearing the amount, and catch my breath after a good bargain before you get involved in a new one. Feels like, whether the pace a little quieter, a hall like this, without a fight, would not give the owners absentee rates for at least several lots.

This time, even the usually sharp tongue regulars rare- rarely managed to get a word in reference machinegun steps leading. But without the humor is still not done. Thus, during the announcement of the poetry collection Gumilev "Pearl" 1910 edition (lot 53) appeared on the screen cover from the later (1921) publication of that book, which was also in the catalog (lot 144). Hall roared: "What is it, what bargain?" After vigorous litigation suddenly there was silence, and no one to interrupt the correspondence rate of 30 000. After reading in silence three times and fall of the hammer from the floor suddenly sounded contrite: "Very cheap given." - "And why did you buy it?" - "Well, it is confused ..." The situation repeated one to one on the same re-release "Pearl" in 1921 (lot 144): the lot was on part-time rate for 14 000 rubles. Again hall gasped: "Cheap!" And again leading repeated: "Why did not you buy it?" - "Yes, because is confused" - chorused wits.

Or during Ad book Shaginyan "Mystery three letters" in 1934 (lot 288) was heard from the audience: "But what's the secret here, I know that the word" - "I know" - "I" - it started with all the fun parties. Added piquancy happening autograph Shahinian Stalin on the cover of the book: "Dear Comrade. Stalin! This book, which I worked for six months, I have written with the hope that you will read it. " Send Comrade Stalin four-letter word - it boldly. As a result, after a fight in five steps book went to part-time rate for the price of 44 000 rubles.

distinctive feature of this auction was that unsold books were cheap, with a price range of up to 10 000 ( with rare exceptions). Everything else, especially the top lots, went to cheers from the market in five, ten, and twenty, and even thirty steps.

So, for the lot book K. Balmont's "Firebird. Panpipes Slav "in 1907 with a cover K. Luba (Lot 30) traded three participants in the hall and part-time rate: from the start of 50 000 rubles in 20 steps the price has risen to 300 000, and one of the participants did not draw his bidi card. Naturally, he took the book.

the next participant in the audience also took 20 steps to win the battle for a collection of poetry of Blok "Snow Mask" in the design of L. Baxt and M. Dobuzhinsky 1907 edition (lot 31), where the price has risen 30 000 to 150 000.

not have time to take a breath - announced a collection of stories and poems Alexei Remizov "Devil's log and the midnight sun "in the cover M. Dobuzhinsky in 1908 with the author's autograph. Here with 50 000 price tripled to 150 000, and the fall of the hammer I was surprised to hear the neighbors comment that, well, lucky for a good price took.

And when the 28 000 while the estimate was 25 000-27 000 were bought 4 sheets of manuscripts Bryusov with unknown poems and translations (lot 50), one could not resist: "I, the devil, a freebie!»

And such examples are not listed. Violent struggles among the three parties in the room rate and part of the first book of Marina Tsvetaeva in 1910 (lot 58) from the start of 150 000 rubles to 600 caught up with the price of 000, hit the hammer sitting approved Lot managed to get a good price.

Yes there are six hundred thousand! Prior to the beginning of the struggle for a collection of poems of Anna Akhmatova "Evening" in 1912 (lot 67) from the start of 250,000 rubles have already predicted the figure of one million. What happened: two participants in the room, telephone and correspondence rate for fifteen steps just short of this amount.

And then, without a break, it was the same in the struggle for a unique copy of the destroyed A. White Book "Petersburg" and the attached several documents, including the writer's autograph (Lot 68): two members in the audience was given a chance phone, raising the starting number 220 000 to 850 000 rubles.

And so on, and so on. Big numbers does not bother anyone. Uncertain "No-ee, well, I can not ..." immediately comes back with a scathing: "And before I could!" Fun, gamble, relish and sometimes dramatic. Thus, after the first step for the book Benedict Lifshitz "Polutoraglazy Archer" in 1933 with illustrations by almost all of the first names of the Russian avant-garde (lot 278), to raise the price to 60 000, the hall suddenly followed bet 200,000. There was a pause. Leading woke up and clarified: "Are you serious?" And I heard: "He was always serious." Leading to the hall and looked like it was hit with a hammer, but then followed the response rate: 220 000. There was another pause. "Are you going to continue?" - Addressed leading to the first participant. "No". Wow, what turns!

Record Bid pm won in the fight for another edition destroyed - a collection of poems by Anna Akhmatova's 1909-1945 (1946). After the famous Resolution 1946 ready circulation has gone under the knife, remained a matter of copies of the book for one of them and grappled bidders: start with a price of 400 000 was raised to 1.7 million rubles. Which was followed by: "Not much." And the answer is: "The prosecutor will add." Hackneyed saying in this situation did not sound funny, but telling, of course, thought a joke. Yes, just like that, with no mention of law enforcement agencies, alas, does not do any one any significant event. Well, let's hope that just for fun.

What to say in conclusion? And the fact that all the talk about the crisis, the lack of buyers, that very soon everything will crash, it is not consistent to one particular juncture. And mark this, surprisingly - the book. That's great and eternal Word that was in the beginning, and gets these days is quite optimistic, symbolic. Good luck to us all.

Constantine Babulin, AI