FX.co ★ Auction house Сhristie's and a huge demand for Russian art

The traditional Russian Art sale was held at London Christie's auction. There were two sessions. The first section was devoted to Russian paintings, the second - to the works of arts and crafts. The Ivan Aivazovsky's paintings were very popular at the auction.The landscape "Grafskaya wharf, Sebastopol", with the initial assessment of £80,000-120,000, was sold for £209,000. Nine years ago, his "American Shipping off the Rock of Gibraltar" was sold for £2.7 million.

The painting by Vasily Vereshchagin "Entrance to the Tomb of the Kings" also proved to be popular. On Monday, November 28, it was sold for £112,500. The works of the famous battle-painter, a student of the Paris and St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, especially the works of the "Turkestan series", take first places at the auctions.

The artwork of the Russian impressionist Konstantin Korovin "Woodland brook" took an important place in the list of the top lots of Russian art at Christie's. Colorful, light, full of joy artist's canvases causes constant delight to the painting connoisseurs. The picture "Woodland brook" was sold for £317,000 with the initial assessment of £120,000-150 000.

A highly important jewelled gold-mounted presentation icon of the patron saints of Moscow St. Alexis, Peter and Johan became the lot at the auction as well. In 1912, it was presented to the Tsarevich Alexei during his first official visit to Moscow. This relic was sold for £87,500.

During the second part of the session the lots of arts and crafts were sold. In the top-list of the sales the first place was taken by the rare silver-topped gold-mounted and enamel star of the order of St. Catherine with diamonds of the first class, created in 1908. It belonged to Spanish Queen Victoria of Battenberg. The order was sold for £173,000, although initially estimated at £70,000-90,000.

The jade carp of the famous Faberge looked unusual at the auction. The jeweler had a collection of Japanese netsuke, the style of which is reflected in his works. The carp went under the hammer for £87,500.