Total revenues amounted to £4.43 million ($6.35 mln). Top-лотом was painting Aivazovsky "the Ottoman coffeehouse in the moonlight," sold for £194 500

the Russian Week of trading started in London on 6 June with the auction of Russian art Christie's. At the end of trading went under the hammer lots from 189 255 (74 %) in the total amount £4 431 310 / $6 350 994 (87 % of the average total estimate). Needless to say, the result of this auction is more than modest against the background of the Russian trade in the past years. In 2015, similar to the June auction, Christie's brought in £5,275 млн.; in 2014-м sales of Russian art in London brought in £23,964 million; and in 2013-м — £12.4 million All because of the year tapering offer in the segment of Russian art, the flow of work of many key contributors (mostly artists of the avant-garde) to other relevant auctions Christie's. Besides, this year the estimate of many of the lots are 2-4 times lower than would ask for the same thing a few-тройку years ago. And in this sense, Christie's correctly decided that it is better to sell cheaper than not sell at all.

Favorite auction was a canvas by Ivan Aivazovsky "the Ottoman coffeehouse in the moonlight" which went under the hammer for £194 500 ($279 108). AI suggested that the thing will greatly exceed the estimate, and so it was that Aivazovsky comfortable medium format, recognizable plot and quality sold even lower than the start. Another work of Aivazovsky — "Shipwrecked" — is estimated at £100-150 thousand, and was purchased for £158 500. It was the second top-лот auction.

Watercolor by Alexander Benois Versailles. The king walks in any weather" exceeded the preliminary estimate 10 times and went under the hammer for £140 500 ($201 618) after a long struggle of five buyers. According to our colleagues in the hall, this price is unreasonably high (the majority of connoisseurs in the audience were inclined to think that it will take watercolor no more than £15 million). Nevertheless, it is the third highest result of yesterday's auction.

Decorated with stones and silver ceramic vessel for tobacco Faberge was sold for £134 500 ($193 008), higher than the estimate of £20 000–£30 000. And it is the fourth most expensive lot auction of Russian Christie.

the ten most expensive lots included also "Portrait of Lev Shestov" painted by Boris Grigoriev. Lot, according to witnesses, was bought by collector Alexander Vasiliev for £122 500 ($175 788) — within the estimate of £100-150 thousand As you can see, the story of Elena Basner not recaptured Vasilyev love the work of Boris Grigoriev.

several times exceeded the estimate of "Landscape with rainbow" by Konstantin Somov (the result of £84 100 when the estimate of £15-25 million). Pencil drawing of a horse "Vaska" by Valentin Serov reached a hammer price of £32 000 (£40 000 including Commission — is 5 times higher than the lower estimate of £8 million). "Still life with roses and daisies" Dmitry Nalbandian was sold for £50,000 on the hammer (£62 500 BP). The price three times above estimate (£15-20 million). By the way, on the current auction AI also exhibited the work of Dmitry Nalbandian "House in Georgia" — in our opinion, much nicer and cheaper.

as for our forecast for the work "cat and dragonfly" by Oleg Tselkov, here is the reality even exceeded our expectations: work got a new owner for £62 500 ($89 688) — forecast AI was almost halved.

Sale of Russian art continues today at Sotheby's. Follow the news.

Sources: press-релиз Christie's