last season in a major event in the market of Russian Art - Russian auction week in London - has passed very rapidly: the intrigues, the ups, records, and for the first time in the history of Russian trade in a single session were sold all the lots.

Unfortunately, in recent years, a steady downward trend in the number of first-class works on the international antiques market. Alas, the organizers of the Russian trade is also becoming harder to please the members. Directories are getting thinner, and the work that deserved place before only in the mid-afternoon trading, are now being sold in the evening sale, resulting in complete bewilderment buyers.

Christie's. November 28

most powerful collection of Russian week was in this time Christies, which allowed the auction house regularly take first place in sales volume with a score of 13.6 million pounds. Like last year, Christies auction held first (by preceding them, incidentally, a wonderful buffet) buyers have not been able to spend the money, and lots of really interesting was greater than all the auctions together.

Auction November 28 began briskly, leaving lots one by one, a special rate tenders asked for sale of two lithographs Alexander Orlovsky < /a>, the struggle for which began with two thousand pounds, and after this bout ended at around 48 000 pounds (without premium auction, which has recently grown to an impressive 30 percent). Bidders mentally congratulated the lucky winner and still actively joined in the fight with each other. What happens then resembled a little crazy. As usual, several people have grappled with for work Ivan Pohitonova , the most expensive of which is and is not the best in creativity the artist has gone untold for 409 000 pounds, a new record for the miniaturist. All four of Pohitonova went to one buyer who paid for them in the amount of approximately $ 1 million. For his work a rare artist Mary Yakunchikova , not used before particular success with customers, turned even more violent struggle than for miniature Pohitonova. Price pyro "Town" grew from 10-15 thousand pounds up to 55 thousand, and for a large oil "from the window of an old house, Vvedensky", which is 6 years ago at the same estimeyte, 150-200 thousand pounds, it remains unsold, after much thought and control of the new owner paid 690,000 pounds, which certainly was an event on the art market. According to some market participants, they saw this work at a recent antique shops, where she was left unattended.

It was at Christies sale of the entire Russian masterpiece of the week - work that deserves a place even not in private collections, and in one of the major museums in the country. It is a canvas «Crucifixion by the Romans," as gigantic in size (3 x 4 meters), as well as in quality. Everyone was very curious how many will be sold to a masterpiece, which was the estimate at 1-1.5 million pounds. Oddly enough, but the hammer struck at the level of the upper estimate, a premium that the auction house was 1.7 million pounds. The new owner to be congratulated on the excellent purchase - such work could cost any money, especially considering the sale in October at Sotheby's in New York, the weaker of the Vereshchagin over 3 million pounds.

Apparently, the anticipation of selling a private collection Alexandre Benois , which is one day later was to be held at Sotheby's, unexpectedly high left two earlier papers Benoit: "View of the Grand Theatre" in 1885 was sold for 133,000 pounds, and "Walk the Empress Elizabeth" went to buyers for 145 thousand pounds. But more on sales of Benoit's talk later.

Works very rarely appear on the market, so the picture of "Hercules" at the pre-auction reception has enjoyed increased attention. Without belittling the true merits of paintings "The Hercules", should nevertheless be noted that the artist wrote it at age 72, and the work itself - repeat an earlier version, so the result in 1.1 million pounds is highly inflated.

Good results have shown the product Maria Vasilyeva , Alexander Volkov and . Very typical, bright canvas "Dance and cubist portrait," Brush Vassilieva got a buyer for 457,000 pounds, which once again confirmed the level of prices formed on the works of talented artists. Early expressive canvas vanguard leader of the Turkestan Alexander Volkov bought for 337,000 pounds estimeyte 300-400 thousand. For the formation of the price level in the work of the artist is a very important sale, as his paintings rarely appear at a public auction. Portrait of K. Somov, "Boxer," which hung on predpokaze with these old boxing gloves, quickly sold for 713,000 pounds, is the average result for the artist on the market, but very high total for a particular job.

Bidding on the string of Applied Arts after a short break, were quickly and successfully, but most of the cash sale brought two rare vases of the Imperial Porcelain Factory, which went for 1.04 million pounds.

Sotheby's. November 28-30

main competitor Christies, the auction house Sotheby's, has prepared this time much worse. Reception, by the way, was on the level - all the subtle and elegant, but to distract the attention from a weak collection, he failed that affected the outcome of: Sotheby's took the last place among all the houses, carried out the Russian auction in the period from November 28 to December 1 .

Among the 30 lots in the evening sale you could find, and oil Veschilova , and a small thing Alexander Golovin , and graphics Alexandra Exter , and oil Alexander Labasa for 300-400 thousand pounds ... But in general, nothing outstanding. Among the interesting sales in the evening sale can only select "Tatar still life» Petr Konchalovsky over 914 000 pounds, work over 361 000 pounds and the "Doomed City» Nicholas Roerich over 657 000 pounds. Successfully from an investment point of view can be called care for 385 000 pounds of spectacular works by Aivazovsky "The Decline of Yalta," whose market value may reach 600-700 thousand pounds.

Much more interesting was selling a private collection works of Alexandre Benois, who is rumored to have belonged to the heirs of the artist. Total sales were put at more than 100 lots, including which were masterpieces, and the average work schedule and just dubious. Moreover, in most cases, the lots were created in an interesting way: from 10-15 things collected in one lot, a few were of good quality, and the rest are not suitable for any collection or for sale. We will not dwell on specific outcomes, they can be viewed here , and it is better to sum up this phenomenal sales. It is particularly noteworthy because for the first time in the history of Russian trades were sold out 100 percent of lots. It is interesting that after the auction, three lots remained unsold, but the auction went so well and active, that bidders have proposed another set of losers for sale. Employees Sotheby's quickly consulted with representatives of the families who were in the hall, and those allowed to sell the remaining lots without reserve, and then 3 lots found new owners immediately. The ever-Russian trade auctioneer Lord Poltimore not only earned the applause of the hall, and was awarded the white gloves and a little golden hammer with a diamond. According to Lord Poltimore, he did not hope after 30 years of work by the auctioneer to receive this award. If we talk about the collection itself, it went much higher than even the most optimistic results. The market is an extremely positive development, indicating the great interest in the graph and the growth of prices for it.

< p class = "mat1"> Total Sotheby's scored 7.5 million pounds, which was one of the worst results of the auction house in recent years. But as they say, a holy place is never empty, and at Sotheby's a respectable place immediately stated their claims Bonhams .

Bonhams. November 30

Bonhams auction organizers have hit the mark, not only offering customers two great, Rare pictures Polenov, but underwent a major marketing activities: things have been on display at the Tretyakov Gallery, they were attracted significant media attention. As a result of an auction for them turned serious fight, and got the cloth dealers from Ukraine: a picture "of you without sin, "bought for 4 million pounds, and" guilty of death "- for 2.8 million pounds. It is interesting to note: judging by the way traded Ukrainian participants, as they raised their plates without the slightest pause for reflection, they did not have a limit on the purchase. Also pictures of the winners got the applause, voiced for the first 3 days of trading. Later applause sounded again, already in the address 12-year-old girl, who was traded for my dad and bought a 17.5 per thousand pounds schedule Boris Grigoriev . The rest of the auction was pretty cool that something was spent above the market, something below, but for Bonhams auction these have been extremely successful, especially with the reputation point of view.

Macdougalls. December 1

the auction Macdougalls among lots sold would like to highlight a few things: "Boyarynya» for 1.8 million pounds, " listening Bedanu "Alexander Volkov for serious 909 000 pounds, the work" The Singing Nightingale » Michael for 600 thousand pounds , a theatrical sketch Leon Bakst for 850 000 pounds and very inexpensive portrait gone Robert Falk « The Woman in Red "for 255 000 pounds. Macdougalls showed good results, which could be much higher if they attended in London Organizer - K. McDougall, busy raising a newborn son. Without it, New Year's magic did not work and the expected results of the magic audience did not wait.

just 4 trading days of deals done for about $ 60 million indicating that high interest to a segment of Russian art in the art market from the side and Russian, and Western buyers. The results obtained allow to be optimistic on the development of Russian art market and predict future growth as the price of first-class works of art and increasing interest in graphic works .

Yegor Molchanov, AI