· New Edition of Seas, Cities and Dreams: The Paintings of Ivan Aivazovsky ·

Ivan Samarine and Gianni Caffiero are presently working on an updated edition of Seas, Cities and Dreams: The Paintings of Ivan Aivazovsky for publication in the second half of 2010. We would welcome any information about previously unrecorded paintings for inclusion or archival information. Please contact us on ivan@russianartconsultancy.com

· 12 March Russian Art Auction ·

Philip Andreievich Maliavin (1869-1940), Elderly Peasant Couple in an Autumn Landscape, signed, gouache over pencil and coloured crayon, 65 × 50 cm., Estimate: SEK 30000 to 50000 (€3000 to 5000), lot 56, sold for SEK 175000 (€15,550)

Here is the press release from the 12 March Russian art auction at Stockholm Auction House:

Against the current background of economic trouble, collectors competed eagerly for a rare group of drawings by Philip Maliavin that were presented in the first Russian auction of the season at Stockholms Auktionsverk. Many were sold for several times their estimate, and against a presale estimate of SEK 240000 (€22,000), the Maliavin collection as a whole sold for SEK 596000 (€54,000). Lot 56, a large gouache of an elderly peasant couple in an autumn landscape, made SEK 175000 (€15,600) off of an estimate SEK 30000 to 50000. The top price in the sale was achieved by a charming, romantic depiction of a troubador, from a private Swedish collection, by Konstantin Makovsky which made SEK 1650000 (€147,000). Increased fascination with Russian stage and costume design was reflected in the prices achieved by works by Pogédaieff, two of which, lots 105 and 106, selling for more than double their estimates. Later in the sale, two Soviet porcelain figures depicting the brilliant ballerina Tamara Karsavina in two of her roles sailed above their estimates. Items by Fabergé achieved mixed results, with one or two exceptions; in particular, a diamond, silver and enamel-mounted hair ornament (lot 224), published in the Holmström design albums, sold for SEK 250000 (€23,000). The result continued the trend of the Russian auctions of London in November with, for the most part, prices noticeably lower and with many Russian clients staying away, giving opportunities for international collectors to buy.

The prices above and below do not include commission.

For more information please contact
Ivan Samarine, tel: +44 771 009 5374 or
Martyn Saunders-Rawlins, tel: +44 771 142 3522

Konstantin Makovsky (1839-1915), The Singer, signed, oil on oak panel, 61 × 32 cm., lot 98 sold for SEK 1650000 (€147,000)

Georgii Pogedaieff (1897-1971), Costume Design, Signed, watercolour on paper, Image size: 43 × 55 cm., lot 105, estimate: SEK 100000 to 120000 (€9100 to 11,000), sold for SEK 260000 (€23,000)

A FABERGÉ DIAMOND, SILVER AND ENAMEL-MOUNTED HAIR ORNAMENT, workmaster August Holmström, early 20th century, within original fitted wooden case, length: 7,5 cm., lot 224, sold for SEK 250000 (€22,000)

· Online Catalogue ·

The catalogue for the upcoming 12 March Russian art sale at Stockholm Auction House is now online

· Stockholm Auction House Russian Art Auction, Including Works on Paper from the Studio of Philip Maliavin ·

12 March 2009

Philip Andreievich Maliavin (1869-1940), Self portrait, signed, inscription on the back written by the artist’s daughter reading, ‘On the back of this is the self portrait of my late father Philip Maliavin Zoya Bounatian Maliavin Nice 1941’, pencil and black chalk, 31 × 22,5 cm., Estimate: SEK 4000 to 6000 (€400 to 600), lot 18

Here is the press release for the upcoming Russian sale at Stockholm Auction House:

Stockholm Auction House will hold its next biannual Russian Auction on 12 March 2009. The sale has been put together by Ivan Samarine of Russian Art Consultancy, London and co-founder of the Sotheby’s Russian Department in London and Martyn Saunders-Rawlins, a highly experienced Russian art expert, in collaboration with Stockholm Auction House, the oldest auction house in the world. Stockholm Auction House was the first venue for dedicated sales of Russian art outside of London and New York and has now firmly established itself as part of the Russian auction calendar with buyers from all over the world competing with collectors from Russia.

The sale will include an extremely interesting group of works on paper from the studio of Philip Maliavin. The life story of Maliavin parallels Russia’s own dramas and tragedies during the first half of the 20th century. A peasant, who in his early youth became a monk on Mount Athos, he had an extraordinary talent for drawing and painting which brought him a scholarship to the Imperial Academy, followed by success and international fame. Because of his peasant origins, he was invited to the Kremlin shortly after the Revolution in order to paint Bolshevik leaders, but in 1922, he left Soviet Russia forever. He settled in the south of France and continued to work and hold exhibitions all over Europe until the end of his life. In 1940, happening to be in Brussels, and after 18 years of exile still not speaking any language but Russian, he was arrested as a suspicious alien by the Gestapo. Having persuaded him of his innocence, he walked home to Nice where he died a week later. The contents of his studio were inherited by his daughter and then purchased by a Monegasque picture dealer. Stockholm Auction House is delighted to have been consigned a large group of these previously unseen works, which will add enormously to our knowledge of this highly important Russian artist.

The sale will also include a number of important portrait miniatures from a private Northern European collection, paintings, porcelain, silver, bronzes and works by Fabergé.

The auction will take place on 12 March 2009 and can be viewed from 8 March until the sale.

For more information please contact
Ivan Samarine, tel: +44 771 009 5374 or
Martyn Saunders-Rawlins, tel: +44 771 142 3522

See below some highlights from the sale:

Mstislav Valerianovich Dobuzhinsky (1875-1957), A Panoramic View of St. Petersburg, depicting Senate Square, the Bronze Horseman, the Rostral Columns and the Peter Paul Fortress in the distance, Lithograph printed in colour on two sheets, signed in the plate and dated 1912, 59,5 × 169,5 cm., Estimate: SEK 150000-175000 (€15,000 to 17,500), lot 90

A Portrait Miniature a Young Woman, by Ivan Andreevich Winberg, (d.1851), circa 1840, shown seated against a red velvet curtain, in a blue velvet dress a cameo portrait brooch on her front, a similar portrait on her gold bracelet, in contemporary cast gilt bronze frame, signed, height of image: 10,5 cm., Estimate: SEK 120000 to 150000 (€12,000 to €15,000), lot 13

Philip Andreievich Maliavin, (1869-1940), The Flirtatious Centaur, signed, pencil and coloured crayons, 37,5 × 53,5 cm., Estimate: SEK 10000 to 15000 (€1000 to 1500), lot 25

A FABERGÉ HARDSTONE AND ENAMEL DIAMOND-SET GOLD-MOUNTED PARASOL HANDLE, workmaster Henrik Wigström, St. Petersburg, late 19th century, scratched inventory number 3187(?), within original velvet-lined box; with modern perspex stand, length of handle (excluding screw): 6,9 cm., Estimate: SEK 400000-500000 (€40,000 to 50,000), lot 225

A Portrait Miniature of Peter the Great by John Wright after Jean-Marc Nattier, circa 1810, the Emperor depicted in armour wearing the sash and badge of the Order of St. Andrew, within a gilt-bronze frame decorated with ribbon-tied leaves, the reverse with contemporary hand-written inscription identifying the artist, the image: 15 × 11 cm., Estimate: SEK 65000 to 85000 (€6500 to 8500), lot 2

Alexander Alexandrovich Deineka (1899-1969), Stalingrad, signed and dated ’44, mixed media on board, 15,8 × 24,7 cm., Estimate: SEK 200000 to 250000 (€20,000 to 25,000), lot 131

Klavdi Vasilievich Lebedev (1852-1916), The Election of Michael Romanov in 1613, signed and dated 1912, watercolour over pencil heightened with white, 44,5 × 59 cm., Estimate: SEK 260000-320000 (€26,000 to 32,000), lot 82

A FABERGÉ DIAMOND, SILVER AND ENAMEL-MOUNTED HAIR ORNAMENT, workmaster August Holmström, early 20th century, within original fitted wooden case, length: 7,5 cm., Estimate: SEK 250000-300000 (€25,000 to 30,000), lot 224

Philip Andreievich Maliavin (1869-1940), Pensive Peasant Woman, signed, pencil and coloured crayon, 65,5 × 50 cm., Estimate: SEK 8000 to 12000 (€800 to 1200), lot 57

A RARE EMBROIDERED CLOTH STAR FOR THE ORDER OF ST. ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED, 18th Century, composed of an eight-pointed canvas star applied with silver discs and brocade, the centre with a blue silk roundel with the cross of St. Andrew circumscribed the embroidered Russian motto For Faith and Loyalty, with an Imperial crown, width: 12 cm., Estimate: SEK 150000-190000 (€15,000 to 19,000), lot 233

· Russian Auction: 12 March 2009 ·

The next Russian Art Auction at Stockholm Auction House will take place on 12 March 2009.

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