Art and money have been at the center of human attention for centuries. Genres and trends changed, but interest in the mystery of creating great canvases and their exorbitant prices is invariably great. How is the price of a lot formed at an auction? Who determines that the “Sewing machine with umbrellas in a surreal landscape” by Salvador Dali is on sale today for 2 million euros, and “Cathedral Square. Milan ”by contemporary artist Gerhard Richter goes under the hammer for 51 million? The best way to dive into the world of big money and artwork is to go to auctions and get first-hand information.

Auction house "Sotheby's" - one of the oldest. Since its founding in London in 1744, the geography and influence of these trades on the world market has changed significantly. Today, its headquarters are located in New York, and branches are scattered around the world, including Paris, Zurich and Toronto. The annual turnover of the house reaches several billion dollars. Sotheby's is free and open to everyone, even if you are not bidding. Most of the trades take place during the daytime, but some also start in the evening, and then you will need a ticket to visit.

Typically, auctions are held four times a year in London and New York. Attending such an event is a special and incomparable experience. Here you can see the works of your favorite artists and sculptors, which cannot be found in museum collections or gallery collections. Surrounded by the best experts from the world of trading, you become a witness of the mysteries of buying and selling items from several dozen categories: from ancient art to paintings by contemporary artists.

Today, Sotheby's is recognized by professionals as the leader in the Contemporary Art category, the main sales of which are held annually in May and November in New York and in February and June in London.

Christie's

Another titan in the world of the auction business and the main competitor of Sotheby's is Christie's, whose main location has also changed from London to New York. Both together account for about 90% of the global market for auction sales of antiques and art objects.

Christie's makes over six hundred sales a year, that is, on average, two sales a day. The auctions are held in 80 categories: fine and decorative arts, jewelry, photography, furniture and interior items, and much more. One of the most promising areas of Christie's development is the permanent Russian department and the prestigious Russian Sales.

The Russian department holds auctions every year in April in New York and in November in London, each time setting more and more sales records. The last auction in London, for example, brought in £ 16.9 million. Like Sotheby's, this auction house sets a minimum bid price, which gradually increases and the lot goes to the highest bidder.

Pre-auction exhibitions Sotheby's and Christie's

You can see the works of art that will be sold at the two largest auctions for millions by visiting the exhibitions organized by the auction houses before the auction. To increase the number of visitors, they are arranged not only in the main premises of Christie's (Rockefeller Plaza) and Sotheby's (York Avenue), but also brought to the world's largest capitals: Moscow, Tokyo, London and Paris. The highlight of such exhibitions is in the premises chosen by the organizers. It always combines historical value for residents of a particular country and at the same time is reliable and safe enough to store expensive lots.

Bonhams

Following the two leaders in the sale of world cultural heritage, experts usually call the auction house "Bonhams" (Bonhams). The third largest auction in the world sells 70 categories, including paintings and cars, musical instruments and home furnishings. Bonhams has established subsidiaries in the United States, Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong. Such a wide geography of distribution allows this auction house to conduct more than 700 auctions worldwide per year. Auctions are held in different cities, depending on the specifics of the lots and the category that is put up for sale.

Dorotheum

In German-speaking countries, the leadership belongs to the Vienna auction house "Dorotheum" (Dorotheum). More than 300 years of existence make it the oldest of the main auctions in the world. The headquarters of this house has not moved anywhere and is still located in Vienna. The only change in the globalization of the world art market is new representations in some Austrian cities, for example, in Salzburg, as well as in other parts of Europe, for example, in Prague and Milan. Dorotheum holds about 600 auctions annually, most of which are daily “auctions without a catalog” at the Dorotheum Palace in the Austrian capital. However, the most important part of the sale is a series of four major trades during the auction weeks. It is during these events that auctions of rare works of fine art are held - from works by old masters to Art Nouveau and contemporary art.

Another feature of this house is its own jewelry store "Dorotheum", which is currently the largest in Austria.

On April 15 and 16, 2013, two leading auction houses in New York hosted interesting auctions of Russian antiques, which will be discussed in a new material on-line Magazine Elegant New York.

A long train of history and a light veil of mystery colors our attitude towards auctions in a romantic tone. Intriguing and arousing interest are the personalities of those who, attending the auction, leave there ambiguous amounts, knowingly acquiring antiques and art objects. The assertion that this world belongs only to very, very wealthy people seems to us indisputable. But, like any stereotype, this point of view is only partially true.

It is not at all necessary to be equal to the King of Qatar, who, not so long ago, was lucky enough to buy for 300 million a painting by Paul Cézanne "The Card Players". He, without hesitation, paid an amount that had never been paid for any work of art in the world. But, as they say, Caesar-Caesar, God-God, ... and to each his own.

The turnover of the world's leading auctions cannot fail to impress - according to Bloomberg, in 2012 the total cost of the 10 most expensive pieces of art amounted to $ 594.6 million, which is 44% more than in 2011 ($ 413.6 million).

And statistics, as they say, is a stubborn thing and you don't need to be a king to agree with leading financial experts - investments in works of art and antiques, these days, bring in more profits than investments in, say, real estate. And who of us over the past 15-20 years has not thought of investing in an apartment or land?

The latest economic crisis in the world, has shown - bank deposits, real estate, securities are far from controversial, as a means of preserving and multiplying capital, but unique antiques are always in price. Moreover, in the modern world, collecting antiques and works of art is not the prerogative of only rich people, everyone can find their own niche here. It is not for nothing that there is an intensive growth of interest of ordinary people, who consider themselves to be the "middle class", to investments in antiques and art.
Thinking about this phenomenon, I decided to visit the New York auction houses. True, so far, not for the purpose of investment, but with a firm intention to see what's what, and how everything is happening.

The history of auctions dates back to the 18th century. One waiting, 1707, to the Austrian emperor Joseph I the idea came up to sell art objects by auction to someone who could give a higher price. These first auctions formed the basis of the oldest auction house Dorotheum... Soon, picking up the original and profitable idea of ​​the Austrian monarch, were created, the now famous English auction housesSotheby's (Sotheby‘ s) andChristie (Christie` s).

Christie ( Christie ’ s) - auction houseEngland, founded in London in 1766. It is believed that exactly Christie ’ s turned the process of auction trade into a kind of art. The most significant auctions took place here Xviii and XIX centuries. It was none other than James Christie, founder of the House, who brokered the sale of an outstanding collection of paintings by Robert Walpole, British Prime Minister, Empress Catherine II... These paintings became the beginning of the Hermitage's museum collection.

Sotheby's ( Sotheby ’ s) – appeared a little earlier than Christie ( Christie ’ s) - however, for more than a century and a half, the company was engaged in the sale of rare books and did not expand the scope of its activities. First painting auction Sotheby ’ s held only in 1917, and in the middle of the 20th century, he entered the international level and since then two London houses have been leading and competing in the painting and antiques market.

Exactly, these two auction houses became the target of one of my New York walks. Moreover, on April 15 and 16, both Houses hosted auctions for items of Russian art of the 19th and early 20th centuries, including rare items from the Faberge jewelry company. These auctions were included in the spring program Russian Works of Art auctions Sotheby's (Sotheby‘ s) andChristie (Christie` s) .

As you know, auction houses produce high-quality catalogs for all their auctions, in the preparation of which several hundred experts take part. Such catalogs provide comprehensive information about the items for sale, and they are rightly called illustrated sales guides. Arriving at Rockefeller Center, where the Christie’s auction house is located (you can enter it from 49th Street) and armed with such a catalog, I went to inspect the collection.

Before each auction, the auction house sets up an exhibition where all lots are displayed. Such an exhibition lasts 5-6 days and everyone can visit it for free. As a rule, the exhibited collections are worthy of the best museums and consist of unique things belonging to private individuals. Moreover, most of these things for a long time, or never at all, were not exhibited for viewing by the general public, except perhaps before the previous auction sale. It is extremely interesting to inspect such a collection: the showrooms are spacious and, as a rule, not crowded, and the knowledge that the things in front of you are gathered together and are available for inspection only for a very short time gives rise to a pleasant feeling of exclusivity.

Moreover, in contrast to the museum, where vigilant grandmothers incessantly insist: "do not touch with your hands", here elegant young people kindly offer to open the window and let them hold in their hands, in order to carefully examine, any of the items on display, be it a Faberge snuff box, or a medallion Nicholas II in an elegant frame decorated with diamonds.
This time, 166 lots were put up for auction at Christie's. Items, many of which belonged to the royal family or their immediate entourage, are made of silver, bronze, gold, and a lot of them with the Faberge mark. Cigarette cases, boxes, photo frames, lorgnets, snuff boxes, cigarette holders, figurines of animals, figurines, cutlery, dishes, vases, letters, postcards, telegrams - such a set of everyday things for the past centuries was put up for sale.

At the auction, each product has a range of the estimated price, which is set by the expert, having previously agreed with the seller. If none of the buyers gives the minimum specified price, the lot is withdrawn from the auction. It happens that a lot leaves for a price lying in the range named by the expert, but more often it significantly exceeds the upper limit. As, for example, happened at the auction on April 15: a silver, partially gilded dish, decorated with an engraved and embossed silver napkin emulating silk lace, was sold for $ 62,500, with an estimated price of $ 4,000- $ 6,000.

It is interesting that everyone can attend the auction without an appointment, but to participate in the auction, in order to purchase something, you need to register via the Internet. Moreover, it is likely that documents proving your solvency will be required. Therefore, if you are not yet ready to buy, then you should just come and see how the auction takes place. There is definitely grace, excitement and drama in this action.

This time the trades were very successful, almost everything was sold out.

For clarity, I will give a few examples of lots exhibited at Christie's on April 15, 2013.

The central and most expensive lot was a pink presentation porcelain vase of 1908, with the initials of Emperor Nicholas and Empress Alexandra, decorated with silver handles in the form of Faberge griffins, from a New York private collection, made for an important gift, but remained in the storage of Nicholas's study II. Later it was acquired by the American India Earle Minshall. Since then, the vase has been sold at auction several times, and its value has grown each time it is sold.

It was sold for $ 483,750 with an estimated maximum price of $ 250,000.

A folder with letters and telegrams from the Grand Dukes Maria Alexandrovna and Alexander Alexandrovich, including letters to Countess Tolstoy, was sold for $ 43,750, and several folders with similar letters never found their buyer and were removed from the auction.

Great interest at the auction was aroused by the phaleristic section of the Golden Order of St. Anna, Class II left for $ 6,000, St.... Vladimir, II degree for $4 500.

A GOLD AND ENAMEL ORDER OF ST. ANNE SECOND CLASS, WITH SWORDS
MARK OF ALBERT KEIBEL WITH THE IMPERIAL WARRANT, ST. PETERSBURG, 1899-1908

Golden Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, I degree.
It was sold for $ 291,750, and the order chain to him for $ 315,750.

Icon of the Kazan Mother of God in a gilded silver setting, embroidered with pearls, 1880
Was sold for $ 40,000.

The next day, April 16, Russian art and European silver of the 19th and early 20th centuries were auctioned Sotheby's (Sotheby ’ s) , which is located in Upper Manhattan on York Avenue and 71 street .

The sales principle is the same here, but the size and scope of this New York auction house is much larger. 400 lots were put up for sale. The exhibition was housed in several large halls, and it took a couple of hours to get a good look at it.

Simultaneously with the exhibition of Russian art and European silver, in the neighboring halls, a presale exhibition of jewelry called Magnificent Jewelry was held, where jewelry made of platinum and gold with unique precious stones was put up for auction. Among them was a rather interesting lot # 387 - Exceptional Pearl-Shaped Diamond, a drop-shaped diamond of 74.79 carats, with an estimated price of $ 9,000,000 - $ 12,000,000, was sold on April 17 for $ 14,165,000.

Also interesting is the lot number 393 - MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF PLATINUM, FANCY PINK DIAMOND AND DIAMOND PENDANT-EARCLIPS

Platinum earrings with pink diamonds 5.79 and 5.68 carats, complemented by teardrop-shaped diamonds and marquises - 19.25 carats.
Presale price: 3,500,000 - 4,500,000, the earrings did not find a buyer and were withdrawn from the auction.

It is interesting that at the auction of Russian art, the Sotheby’s auction on April 16, 2013, the sales prices were much closer to those previously established by the experts than at the Christie’s auction on April 15.

Eugene Lansere (1884-1886). Sculptural bronze group "Arabian equestrian game."
Sold for $ 173,000, with a preliminary price of $ 140,000- $ 160,000.

Silver samovar Alexander Cordea, 1869
Sold for $ 75,000(preliminary estimate $ 20,000 - $ 30,000)

Coronation album in 2 volumes, leather cover, with black and white photographs and color illustrations of the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II. 1899 g Sold for $ 21,250(preliminary estimate $ 7,000 - $ 10,000)

Punch set, silver inlaid with enamel. Ovchinnikov. 1899-1908. Sold for $ 161,000(preliminary price $ 80,000- $ 120,000)

The most significant and expensive lot: a tabletop portrait of Emperor Nicholas II, framed with diamonds, with a diamond imperial crown, and four monograms. Master Heinrich Wigstrom, artist Vasily Zuev, 1909

Such portraits were one of the rarest imperial gifts and were intended only for important and significant people. Under Nicholas II, only nine Russians and nine foreigners were awarded such precious portraits.
Sold for $ 413,000(preliminary price $ 200,000- $ 400,000)

Total sales that day were $ 5,673,692

It is known that many galleries, salons, shops and shops sell antiques all over the world. But it is auctions that make this market global, that is, interconnected. Thanks to their catalogs, a general database of information about antiques is formed, which allows you to follow the main price trends and, to some extent, protects the market from counterfeiting.

Quite often, the owners of outstanding antique or art rarities, deciding to sell them, resort to the services of an auction, which serves as a certain guarantee of the honesty of the transaction for them and gives them the opportunity to help out good money. Therefore, high-profile and significant events in the field of antiques sales take place precisely at the auctions of the leading auction houses. Thanks to auctions, such lots receive wide publicity, and it is according to the results of their sales that an elite fashion for art objects is formed.

So keeping track of the events taking place at auctions is interesting and useful, even if you are not going to become a serious collector.

And, even if my story about the auction houses of New York did not convince the average citizen of the world about the advisability of investing in antiques, I hope it showed that visiting these places is an exciting and informative leisure time, good food for thought, combined with an undeniable aesthetic pleasure.

Text by Tatyana Borodina

Any reprint of the text or the use of copyright photographs is possible only with the permission of the author of the project..

On March 11, 1744, in London, Samuel Baker auctioned several hundred rare and valuable books from the library of the Honorable Sir John Stanley. This event is officially considered the date of the founding of the auction house. Sotheby's ... We can safely say that the first lot in the history of Sotheby’s was sold at a good price for that time - the books were sold for several hundred pounds.

; ;

Almost 270 years have passed since then, and today Sotheby's is rightfully considered one of the largest and most reputable auction houses in the world. He trades in London, Paris, New York and Hong Kong, has about 100 offices in more than 40 countries around the world. The name of this house is associated with permanent stability and respectability. But even here, in the world of traditions and strict rules, time makes its own adjustments. It would not be a great exaggeration to say that the last decades have passed at Sotheby's under the motto of "Russian Seasons".

Every year the number of "Russian lots" put up for sale is growing: painting, sculpture, tableware, jewelry, photographs, books and manuscripts. The world remembers forgotten and learns new names of our masters. The canvases of such artists as Ivan Aivazovsky, Vasily Vereshchagin, Konstantin Korovin, Mikhail Larionov, Pyotr Konchalovsky, David Burliuk and many others began to enjoy stable demand, which was difficult to believe only 15-20 years ago.

"Russian phenomenon" became so interesting and significant that the Sotheby's auction house in New York organized a Russian department, which is headed by my current interlocutor Sonia Beckerman.

Sonya Bekkerman has headed the Department of Russian Painting since 2004 and is one of the largest and most respected experts in the field of Russian painting in the West. Her work as the head of the Russian department has allowed Sotheby's to receive more than $ 300 million in recent years.

Thanks to Ms. Beckerman, many rare and unique works of Russian masters have appeared at the Sotheby's auction only recently. These include such masterpieces as the painting “The Vision of St. Sergius” by Mikhail Nesterov, three wonderful works by Boris Grigoriev, “The Pearl Mosque in Delhi” by Vasily Vereshchagin, and the painting “A Street in Moscow” by Natalia Goncharova.

Note, June 2013 - to date, Sonya Bekkerman has left Sotheby's to pursue her own business. We wish her good luck! But, what she is talking about in her interview continues to be interesting, relevant and informative.

- Ms. Beckerman, not many of our readers have had to attend large auctions, please tell us how the work of Sotheby's is organized, how the collections put up for sale are selected and formed, and how can you get to the auction of this auction?

Our work begins when a person or an organization contacts us wishing to sell some, in their opinion, interesting thing, or even just find out the cost of this thing. In this case, they contact our representative, and this can be done in any way, by phone, in person or even by e-mail. Our specialist, gets acquainted with the proposed thing, examines the details, conducts research, makes inquiries, and establishes whether this object can really be sold at our auction. It is important to determine whether it will be of interest to those who are usually our buyers.

There are certain criteria for such a decision, but often the personal opinion of a specialist based on his experience and intuition is important. Then there should be a discussion between our representative and the seller himself, if they agree, the lot is included in the auction.

We take care of the delivery of this object to the auction, photograph it, display it for review and, finally, for sale. The important thing is that this whole procedure is the same for all objects, regardless of whether the lot is worth $ 500 or $ 5,000,000 dollars.

In addition, I think your readers will be interested that all lots are put up for public review and inspection a week before the sale. Everyone can come and see, our auctions are open to all interested parties. By registering and passing a small check, anyone can take part in the auction. Everything can be done in one day.

In addition, Sotheby's holds exhibitions of outstanding and unique items sold at our auction. They take place all over the world, and I recommend visiting them, you can see absolutely amazing things.

-Who are Sotheby's clients?

- Now this question is both easy and difficult to answer. Our clients are now more global and that means I spend a lot of time on planes and at airports! Today's collectors are not limited to where they live: in this way, an Asian collector can purchase a lot in London to enjoy in his New York apartment.

- How do you assess the value of the item put up for auction?

When we conduct a pre-sale appraisal of a particular item, be it a painting or a piece of jewelry, we rely on a number of factors, including: prices for similar items paid in the past, the current state of the market, and the actual state of the item. Of course, what I am saying is only a schematic structure of the process. In fact, we are doing painstaking work in which we combine all our efforts. I work closely with colleagues around the world to determine as accurately as possible the realistic value of each lot. This is important both for attracting potential buyers and for obtaining interesting lots for sale.

An auction is a very complicated thing, and even the smallest nuances and circumstances can play a role in the auction. An auction is always a surprise and improvisation - it is almost impossible to say for sure what happens at an auction. Each auction carries a certain surprise - often things that first came to the auction or little-known, go for a lot of money. Sometimes the opposite happens and the seemingly most interesting lot does not find the “right” buyer. Then the lot goes relatively inexpensively. But this does not happen often ...

-Paintings, sculptures, jewelry or household items - what is most often sold at Sotheby's?

In general, we sell paintings the most and the most, but sculpture and arts and crafts also represent a large segment of the market and often sell for very high prices.

For example, at one of the recent auctions, the most sought-after and valuable lot was a rare Fabergé lapis lazuli vase with gold legs in the shape of dolphins. She left for $ 115,500 with a pre-sale expert estimate of $ 50-70 thousand.

Also, at the recent auction, the unique "Karsky table" made a big impression - a masterpiece of Italian micro-mosaic with a table top by Gioacchino Barberi, made according to Alexander Orlovsky's watercolor for the Russian Imperial Court. It was an amazing exhibit, a real work of art - the pieces of the mosaic are so small that they can only be seen from a very close distance, and the color scheme is so rich and rich that it is simply hard to believe that this is a mosaic and not a painting.

-Diamonds are eternal values, how often are rare diamonds put up for sale at Sotheby's?

Of course, one cannot say that unique diamonds are often offered for sale, the appearance of such a lot is always an event. But, of course, very rare, beautiful and expensive precious stones, diamonds and jewelry are sold at Sotheby's. Moreover, we sell them both through our retail network, Sotheby's Diamonds, and through our jewelry auctions, which are held throughout the year in our salesrooms in Geneva, London, Hong Kong and New York. Moreover, before the auction, an exhibition of lots is held, where visitors can not only carefully examine the thing put up for sale, but also enjoy admiring its beauty.

But if we talk about the sale of unique diamonds, then of course we need to remember about the most famous, rare and expensive diamond in the world, bearing the name "Pink Earl", weighing 24.78 carats. It was sold at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2010 for $ 46 million. This is currently the highest diamond price in the world. I must admit that this was a truly unique lot and, of course, there was a tense battle for it. Ultimately, the stone was acquired by the Laurence Graf jewelry house, which gave the stone its own name. "Pink Earl".

Information sheet: Pink diamonds account for only 2 percent of the world's diamonds. It is believed that the ideal pink color is caused by the fact that during its stay in the bowels of the Earth for millions of years, it absorbed light in some unique, little-studied way. In the collection of Laurence Graf, there are many expensive and rare things, for example, he owns Maria Medici's diamond pendants. But, nevertheless, the Pink Earl became the pinnacle of his collection: “This is the most stunning stone that I have managed to acquire in the entire history of my collecting. I am happy that he is now with me " .

Sonya Beckerman continues: -Also, the diamond aroused great interest Bo Sanxi, recently put up for auction at Sotheby's in Geneva, and sold for 9,570,000 dollars. This stone is considered one of the most historically significant diamonds ever to be auctioned. It is remarkable for the fact that for 400 years it belonged to royal and princely families. For example, it was owned by the Queen of France, Marie de Medici, George Frideric Hohenzollern, Prince of Prussia, great-grandson of William II, the last emperor of Germany.

Background note: The Bo Sanxi diamond is known to be made from a diamond that was mined in mines near the ancient city of Golcond, in southeastern India. For the first time "Beau Sancy" was bought by the diplomat and financier Nicolas de Arleigh by the lord de Sancy in Constantinople, around the middle of the 16th century. In 1604, Henry IV purchased the diamond and presented it to his wife, Maria de Medici. "Bo Sanxi" was placed in the crown that adorned Marie de Medici at her coronation in 1610. In 1702, Frederick I, becoming the first king of Prussia to be crowned, sold all the jewels he inherited in order to acquire Bo Sancy. This famous stone had a special symbolic value for the king and was chosen as the main decoration of the new royal crown. Bo Sanxi, the largest gem in the collection of the Royal House of Prussia, was inherited and remained in this family for many years. Traditionally, this stone adorned the bride's outfit of every new Prussian prince. In the past 50 years, the Bo Sanxi diamond has only been shown to the general public four times. It is reported that initially the auction house planned to bail out for the stone from $ 2 million to $ 4 million dollars. Five applicants fought for it. Ultimately, the diamond was sold for twice the original price of $ 9,570,000. The name of the new owner was not disclosed. It is only known that the diamond was bought by phone.

-What historical things, or “things with history”, have been put up for auction at Sotheby's in recent years?

I will name a few of the most interesting and memorable to me. Perhaps it is: the Duchess of Windsor jewelry, Andy Warhol's cookie jars, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' collection of things. Such collections are very interesting for me, because they are personal in nature and allow us to slightly open the veil of the private life of their former owners. They talk about the habits and tastes of their owners, reveal the unknown sides of the character of famous people. Such collections are part of history, because their owners are historical figures or world celebrities, and their tastes and preferences are appreciated by collectors all over the world.

Background note: American Wallis Simpson, married Duchess of Windsor, received magnificent gifts from her husband, the former King of England Edward VIII. Moreover, the Duke and Duchess ordered jewelry from the best jewelry houses, and many of them were made according to the sketches of Wallis herself. 20 items from the Duchess of Windsor's jewelry collection were sold at Sotheby's.

We list just a few of them:

The record holder among the Dragots put up for sale It was a bracelet in the shape of a panther made of onyx and diamonds with green emerald eyes, which was created by Jeanne Toussaint, designer of the Cartier jewelry house. Its original price was nearly tripled and, as a result, sold for more than £ 4.5 million. Experts note that this is not only a record price for a bracelet ever sold at an auction, but also a record for Cartier jewelry.

One of the Duchess's most beloved pieces of jewelry, the nine-Latin cross bracelet sold for £ 601,200, with an initial cost of £ 350,000-450,000. Pendants made in the shape of a Latin cross are decorated with precious stones. Each of them symbolizes an important event in the life of the family.

A diamond-studded heart brooch commemorating the Duke and Duchess's 20th marriage anniversary sold for £ 205,000.

–What was the most unusual, in your opinion, lot put up for auction at Sotheby's?

- Not so long ago we sold the Vostok 3KA-2 space capsule for $ 2,800,000. The auction took place in April 2011, on the day of the 50th anniversary of the first manned flight into space. The auction became a magnificent holiday dedicated to Yuri Gagarin, the world's first cosmanaut. The Vostok capsule was sold and is now on display in a museum in Russia.

Information sheet: Space capsule "Vostok 3KA-2". A few weeks before Gagarin's flight, the dummy "Ivan Ivanovich" and the dog Zvezdochka made a flight into space in this small sphere. Interestingly, the dummy Ivan Ivanovich made the Siberian peasants worry, who discovered a capsule that had flown from the sky in the field. They thought it was a man and rushed to help him. But he did not need help, and neither did the dog Zvezdochka, she was in excellent shape and returned home safely. After this successful testing, an identical ship was launched into space with the first human on board.

- Please tell us whether things that belonged to the representatives of the Russian aristocracy appear at the Sotheby's auction?

Yes, we do have such lots. They, first of all, have historical value and are always of great interest to collectors.

Such truly unique lots include a small collection of things put up by our auction in April 2011: two pairs of skis and a pair of boots from 1910 that belonged to Tsarevich Alexei Nikolaevich Romanov. Alexey Cerevich was a great lover of skiing and at one time the Moscow Ski Club asked him to become the official patron of their organization.

More traditional but no less interesting lots were sold in 2009. First, it was a rare miniature portrait of Tsar Peter the Great in a diamond-encrusted frame. The portrait belonged to a family in Arizona, who did not realize the importance and value of the work until they showed it to my colleague.

This is a real unique historical relic; in the 18th century, such portraits were given out as awards. Now this is an exceptional rarity, and we think that there are only 6 of them left in the whole world.

Sotheby's employees assumed that the portrait would go for a price of $ 80,000 to $ 120,000, but the reality surpassed all expectations - it was bought for $ 1,314,500.

Not so long ago, a unique and previously unknown collection of personal belongings belonging to the Russian Imperial House was exhibited, which included the belongings of Her Imperial Majesty Maria Pavlovna Romanova and Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, the son of Emperor Alexander II. It was one of the largest "Russian collections" in the history of the London Sotheby's auction, which certainly aroused great interest and enthusiasm at the auction. The sales price was $ 11,658,920.

The most interesting lot turned out to be a silver cigarette case with a portrait of Emperor Alexander II, by Feberge. There was a desperate bidding for this item, and it went for 612,250 pounds, which was 12 times its appraised value and became a record price for a Faberge cigarette case.

-What's the most amazing, curious lot you've had over the years at Sotheby's?

- One of the most amazing lots that have ever come across in my fifteen-year career at Sotheby's was sold in 2010. This is a piece of paper with the words to the song “One Day in the Life” written in John Lennon's hand. This sheet sold for $ 1,200,000 - an amazing result for all of us Beatles fans.

- Please tell us about the latest lots of Russian or Ukrainian painting?

One of the most impressive recent records was Natalya Sergeevna Goncharova's A Street in Moscow, which Sotheby's sold in New York in November 2011 for $ 6,354,500 - more than four times the estimated cost. This is the highest price for the sale of a painting of Russian art at Sotheby's around the world.

I want to note that Goncharova is one of the most revolutionary and outstanding artists of her generation. Today, her work is among the most collectible among women artists. The painting "A Street in Moscow" is also interesting in that most of Goncharova's canvases of the early 20th century are devoted to the life of the Russian peasantry, while "A Street in Moscow" tells about urban life.

Also, a large and unforgettable event several years ago was the sale of a unique painting by Vasily Vereshchagin “The Pearl Mosque in Delhi” (1876-1879). This painting was the main lot of the 2010 Sotheby's auction, dedicated to the work of Russian artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. She left for over $ 3 million.

“The Pearl Mosque in Delhi” is a very big work, 4X5 meters, but of course, this is not the main thing. In my opinion, this canvas can be considered a real artistic perfection. In it, Vereshchagin revealed his versatility and fully demonstrated high and mature skill. Everything about it amazes - from the beautifully written details to the amazing transmission of light - it seems to glow from the inside. I believe that this is one of the most outstanding and valuable works of Vereshchagin, which has been put up for auction for more than a hundred years.

AND Background note: The Pearl Mosque in Delhi was auctioned for the second time. The first time it was put up for auction by Vereshchagin himself in 1891. And it was sold for $ 2100, after that 120 years it was not exhibited to the general public..

If we talk about Ukraine, then of course this country has a long and rich cultural heritage, and our sales often include items of great artists born in Ukraine or belonging to a Ukrainian school. But the most memorable collection in recent years has been a collection of 86 paintings created by a group of artists from the Society of Independent Artists, or Odessa Parisians, as they are sometimes called. We sold this lot in New York in 2010. The collection was collected by Yakov Peremen, a central figure in the world of Odessa art at the turn of the 20th century. For many years this collection was considered lost, we found it and put it up for auction. Before the sale, we exhibited the paintings at the Museum of Fine Arts in Kiev, which I always visit when I come to this city. The reaction was simply amazing, people were shocked by what they saw.

At the auction, the collection was sold for almost $ 2 million and is currently on a world tour, where it attracts the public's attention to a very interesting and previously little known direction of Ukrainian painting.

Sotheby's became the first international auction house to sell a collection dedicated to 20th century Ukrainian art.

-I believe that the most interesting lots at the auctions are those that appear on the market for the first time and have not been presented to the general public before. Such sales allow people to discover new or forgotten names, which, in my opinion, is most important for both art and history, '' said Sonia Beckerman in conclusion.

We thank Sonya Beckerman for a wonderful and very interesting story.

An interview specially for Elegant New York was conducted by Tatiana Borodina.

Also read about auctions in New York: ; ;

As the head of the "daughter" assured, the arrival of Sotheby's in Russia means "a meeting place for art and money. And this place can no longer be changed." Having saluted with a catch phrase, the Russian art critic noticed that over the past five years the Russian art market has grown tenfold.

Answering the question of "RG", "Will the activity of Sotheby's be a kind of corridor for" sucking "artistic values ​​from Russia to the West", Kamensky noted that "the idea of ​​the corridor is false." According to him, the entire daily practice of Sotheby's in the global market and its activities in 35 countries of the world testifies to the opposite. First, Sotheby's will facilitate the return of capital to Russia, the best works of both Russian and world art. Second, it will help establish a more transparent market in Russia. In accordance with its code of ethics, Sotheby's will help whitewash the black money that is known to be circulating in large quantities on the Russian antique market today.

“This market today is largely 'black', in many ways 'gray' and quite a bit 'white,' said Kamensky. And Sotheby's, as a powerful structure, has great opportunities to work only on a 'white' basis. stressed that the presence of Sotheby's as a separate legal entity in the Russian market means a response to the increased demands of the Russian audience.

The fact is that recently the purchasing power of lovers of Russian and foreign art has grown significantly. And this is not due to the fact that the middle class in Russia has become richer, but, according to the expert, the rich have become richer and there are significantly more of them. Today, there are several segments - super-rich, medium-rich and low-income. Actually, these three categories will be the basis for Sotheby's work in Russia. It is estimated that there are several thousand such people. This, of course, is not tens of thousands, as, for example, in America. But from the point of view of finance, it is a "mighty bunch".

Speaking about what the Sotheby's office in Russia will still be, its head clarified that the emphasis will be on providing information services to potential clients. The office staff will keep Russians informed of the latest trends in the world auction art market, form a database of potential buyers. The office plans to actively cooperate with all private collectors, owners of private galleries, art dealers, representatives of state museums, Russian experts, appraisers and even bankers. Yes, in the plans of the representative office, a great deal of attention will be paid to interaction with financial groups and banks. As Kamensky said, today almost every large bank has subdivisions for work with private clients, which expect from banks a variety of services, not excluding the purchase, lending of masterpieces of Russian and world art and antiques.

The peculiarity of the Sotheby's office in Russia does not imply today the holding of auctions directly on the territory of Russia. Since this is not facilitated by either tax or customs legislation. However, being a legal entity, an independent firm, the Sotheby's office has the right to engage in various financial transactions in the antiques market, private sales. From this point of view, the economic interest of the state is obvious. As a company registered in Russia, Sotheby's will pay taxes. True, Mikhail Kamensky refused to assess the potential volume of transactions on the Russian market. According to him, the process will show. But the trends are such that with the arrival of Sotheby's, not only the Russian antique market may change, but the very format of Russian weeks abroad. Of course, for the better, that is, in the direction of increasing monetary profits. Answering the questions whether at auctions of such a level as "Sotheby's", the appearance of forgeries and fakes, which the Russian market especially sins, today, Kamensky noted that the criminal world is initially present on the world art market, fabricating forgeries. But the task of a respectable auction house is to prevent them from appearing at auction. And Sotheby's professionally fights counterfeits. There are no items that would have ended up at the auction without the most complex examinations. But if it is nevertheless proven that it is a fake, then the client receives 100% compensation.

As for the reception of visitors on personal matters, those who, for example, want to offer an item from their private collection or a painting to Sotheby's, the Sotheby's office in Russia will also work with such clients, Kamensky noted. But at the same time he emphasized that in the form of consultations. Experts do not intend to provide intermediary services for the export of certain valuables abroad. Consulting means that clients will be provided with maximum information about whether a particular item will be quoted at a Western auction and what documents are required in order to legally withdraw this item. At the same time, Kamensky emphasized that the Sotheby's office has the best relations with the main state "permitting" organization for the export of cultural property, Rosokhrankultura. These are our colleagues, partners, friends, Kamensky noted.

By the way, he did not rule out that soon another world famous auction house Christie will catch up on the Russian market.

Help "RG"

In 2006, Sotheby's Russian art auctions in London and New York raised more than $ 153 million. Today this is the largest amount of all world sales of Russian art. And the annual turnover in Russian art has grown 20 times over the past six years, from $ 7.46 million to $ 153 million, and since the beginning of 2007, Sotheby's Russian weeks have already raised $ 56.1 million.

The exhibition “Betting on Glasnost. Auction "Sotheby's" in Moscow, 1988 "

The only real overseas auction "Russian avant-garde and contemporary Soviet art", held in Russia, is interesting today both as a commercial and as a social experiment. How was art evaluated 30 years ago and today? Who was taken into the future? How has time adjusted ranks and prices?

Sotheby's in 1988 was not only a bold commercial, but above all a daunting diplomatic event. Have you ever seen a case: the notorious "crap Englishwoman" suddenly invites and brings her Mister Twisters to buy the art of yesterday hostile "Upper Volta with rockets". Perestroika, glasnost, the heady air of freedom, the suddenly declared atmosphere of trust ... and even the opportunity to legally buy and export the first Russian avant-garde. Regarding the export, a special order was even received from the authorities - the issue was resolved at the highest level.

The auction generated a lot of expectations. From the outside, he seemed like a magical entrance ticket to the world art market and, in general, gave out a lot of advances. In the preface to the auction catalog, signed by the Chairman of Sotheby's, The Honorable Count Gauri, there are the following words: “Sotheby's is proud to hold the first international art auction in the Soviet Union. We are confident that it will not be the last, since there is nothing better for the development of cultural ties than the free exchange of ideas and works of art between young artists, collectors and students of the faculties of fine arts from all over the world. "

They are sure ... "Dreams, my lord, I have had dreams, they are pure as tears." Thirty years have passed, but not a single foreign auction has come to Russia.

And it will not come in the foreseeable future.

For three decades that first and so far the last Moscow "Sotheby's" managed to acquire many legends. About beautiful and not so beautiful things. "Not really" - as a very Soviet spirit began right off the bat of people spoiled by the housing issue: who to take to the auction, and who not to take, who are their own, and who is by pull. Artists were urgently given food shortages so that they would not be ashamed in front of foreigners. With money (according to the agreement, the artists were promised money: currency and rubles at the exchange rate), they also say, not everything turned out beautifully. How is it known? The witnesses of those events themselves told me something. You can read about something in the books of the artist Grisha Bruskin, a participant in those auctions. By the way, I can safely advise him "The Past Tense of an Imperfect Form" or any other book: it is written talentedly and accurately, read in one breath. In general, it was or was not, but this fuss is quite believable: everything is very in the spirit of the late Soviet times.

But legends are legends, and the real texture can still be reconstructed with a high degree of reliability according to the auction catalog, according to the protocols and other documents shown at the exhibition. So, here's what happened then:

1. The auction catalog "Sotheby's" on July 7, 1988 included 34 artists: Grisha Bruskin, Sergei Volkov, Alexander Drevin, Evgeny Dybsky, Yuri Dyshchko, Ilya Glazunov, Vadim Zakharov, Ilya Kabakov, Svetlana Kopystyanskaya, Igor Kopystyansky, Dmitry Krasnopevtsev, Bella Levikova, Malle Leis, Tatyana Nazarenko, Irina Nakhova, Vladimir Nemukhin, Natalia Nesterova, Arkady Petrov, Dmitry Plavinsky, Leonid Purygin, Alexander Rodchenko, Alexander Sitnikov, Anatoly Slepyshev, Varvara Stepanova, Ilya Tabenkin, Lev Tabenkin, Natalia Filatov , Ivan Chuikov, Eduard Steinberg, Sergey Shutov, Gia Edzgveradze, Maria Ender, Vladimir Yankilevsky. Of the 34 artists, the names of four are not widely known today, and all the rest are regularly sold at world and Russian auctions. So in this matter - bravo, Sotheby's!

2. A total of 120 lots were put up. Of these, 8 works (most of all) were exhibited by the artist Vadim Zakharov, followed by Alexander Rodchenko (7 works), Grisha Bruskin, Svetlana and Igor Kopystyanskiy (6 each). In general, most of the authors included 2–4 works in the catalog. It is easier to list those who had only one painting or drawing: Maria Ender, Tatiana Nazarenko, Dmitry Plavinsky and Vladimir Yankilevsky.

3. Particularly valuable Russian avant-garde was for some reason "on the warm-up": it was sold in the first string, from 1 to 18 lots. The Russian avant-garde block featured works by Nadezhda Udaltsova, Alexander Drevin, Alexander Rodchenko, Varvara Stepanova and Maria Ender.

4. The most expensive piece at the auction was an abstract canvas "Line" in 1922 by Alexander Rodchenko: it was paid for it £ 330,000, that is, $ 564,300.

5. The most accessible work at those auctions cost £ 2,200, or $ 3,762. For this same amount, several works took place at once: three one and a half meter canvases by Yuri Dyshlko, a large painting by Bella Levikova and two canvases by Ilya Tabenkin.

6. Only foreigners could buy for foreign currency. Soviet artists and heirs of the avant-garde artists were entitled to 60% of the sales amount (the rest - to the organizers), of which 10% in foreign currency, and the rest in rubles at the conversion rate.

7. Elton John bought lots 51 and 56 - paintings by Svetlana and Igor Kopystyansky. Each for £ 44,000 ($ 75,240). Lot 57 (Kopystyansky) was bought according to the author's information by David Bowie, for £ 24,200 ($ 41,382). Also in the minutes it is written by hand that the head of Sotheby's, Alfred Taubman, bought Ilya Kabakov's painting Answers of the Experimental Group for £ 22,000 ($ 37,620).

8. The total sales, according to the protocol, were £ 2,085,000 (including 10% commission). The share of care by lots, according to my calculations, was 94%. In other sources, the figure is 98%. But, according to the protocol, out of 120 lots (the last lot had number 119, but there were 4 and 4A), 7 remained unsold.

9. The Russian avant-garde was officially and publicly sold to foreigners with an export permit. The works of Russian avant-garde artists were put up for auction not from museum funds, but from private collections of families and heirs.

10. In fact, with the first blow of the hammer of Simon de Puri in the field of art, the market came to the USSR. After that, over the course of several years, many members of the Moscow Sotheby's moved to the West. Some are forever. The Moscow auction "Sotheby's" was the last major event in 1988, which actually ends the chronology of underground and unofficial art in the well-known reference book "Other Art". And it's hard to disagree with this: what is openly sold in Sovincentr cannot be called underground any more.

Let us recall some of the paintings and drawings from those historical trades.

A comment: Rodchenko's work “Clown. The Circus Scene ”- one of the few that could be seen live at the exhibition in the“ Garage ”. It was provided by Moscow collectors Marina and Boris Molchanov. It is known about it that on April 26, 2006, it was resold to its current owner at Sotheby’s in New York for $ 528,000, that is, 10 times more expensive than it was bought 18 years earlier in the USSR. The Clown is interesting, in particular, because it is one of the first paintings (and perhaps the first) that Rodchenko made in 1935 after a long period of refusal to paint. Before that, he did not take up brushes for 14 years, believing that not painting, but only photography corresponded to the tasks of the time. At the moment, the price benchmark for work of this class is already about $ 1,200,000.

A comment: Avant-garde ornaments, patterns and concepts of Varvara Stepanova in recent years have been especially in demand by Russian designers. Its style - recognizable rhombuses - was adopted in the design of the metro, in the development of the style of the uniform of the Russian Olympic team for the games in Rio in 2016, and even in the creation of the entire corporate identity of the celebration of the 870th anniversary of Moscow. For the gouache sold at Sotheby's in 1988, you can name not only the price point of today, but also the recent auction price: this design for the fabric at the end of 2016. Today, this gouache would cost, rather, $ 55,000-60,000. About 7 times more expensive than 30 years ago. It's a little expensive - "in its pure form", without all this story, such gouaches are cheaper. But due to provenance - according to this drawing, Sotheby's specially ordered fabric and from it - scarves for the guests of that historic auction - such a price is fully justified.

A comment: Rodchenko's Constructivist Line, which London-based dealer David Juda bought according to the New York Times, became the most expensive painting in the auction at $ 564,300 in pounds terms. Today, a work of this class would cost 5-6 times more on the world auction market - about $ 3,000,000, and maybe more. The current auction record for Rodchenko is $ 4,500,000 - that much was given in 2016 for another of his constructivist compositions.

The first Russian avant-garde on that July day in 1988 was sold out clean. No wonder. Usually the prices were 1.5-2 times higher than the estimate. Since then, a number of things have been resold to new owners more than once. And judging by the prices of repeat sales, the typical return on investments made 30 years ago was 17-20% per annum. This is at a simple percentage, excluding inflation, but still not bad.

Contemporary art and the "second Russian avant-garde" (the sixties) also sold out with a bang. But here, unlike the situation of Rodchenko, Stepanova or Ender, the buyers required much more knowledge and vision. There was no guarantee that all the artists in the catalog would occupy high places in the history of art. And so it happened. According to the situation in 2018, it is obvious that some work was overpaid, and some, on the contrary, were bought for little money. However, all the same, buying at a first-class auction gives collectors an order of magnitude more peace of mind than emotional purchases from the market at your own peril and risk, do not understand at what prices. Despite external pressure, in general, the organizers of the auction - the compilers of the catalog made a qualitative selection, greatly reducing the risks of buyers. Yes, there are much fewer works that have risen in price by 5-6 times (at the pace of the Russian avant-garde) in the 30-year period. And despite some good examples, the rule of thumb about the higher risks of investing in contemporary art than in the one that has already passed the test of time, in general, works.

A comment: Gigantic 3-meter work, composed of 32 canvases, became the most expensive lot of that auction in the contemporary art string. The success of Grisha Bruskin's “fundamental lexicon” was practically assured: his photo adorned the cover of the auction catalog. But no one could have predicted the almost 17-fold increase in the price relative to the estimate of $ 24,000. The work is very effective and conceptual - about our whole life. She could be seen at an exhibition in Moscow. It is a difficult task to predict its auction value today. In 2000, for Christie's, a comparable four-meter canvas from Logia I was sold for $ 424,000. This is an auction record, but in 18 years a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. I think that today "Fundamental Lexicon" would cost at least twice as much - due to the artistic quality, as well as provenance and its memorial value. All in all, 30 years ago, Sotheby's sold 6 paintings by Bruskin (all that were put up for auction). For one of the things - lot 21 - you can make a more accurate price peg: that time it was sold for $ 26,334, and in 2017, work of a comparable class from the same series went to Sotheby's for $ 150,000. 7 times in 30 years. Soon after the Moscow Sotheby's, the artist Grisha Bruskin left for America. After a while, the influential Marlboro gallery signed a contract with him, which at that time was number one for Francis Bacon and other first names.

A comment: In the memories of those events, every now and then sounds: "imposed", "lowered from above" and the like. The younger generation of artists strongly disliked Ilya Sergeevich. His work really looks exotic among the works of yesterday's unofficial or semi-official artists. But the paintings put up for auction are good, at least three out of four. The most expensive of them was the one and a half meter canvas "Ivan the Terrible" in 1974, published in one of the monographs about Glazunov. This is a tough, naturalistic historical narrative, not at all for home. But at the same time, this is the absolute Glazunov, in its strongest period, the most valuable period. His current auction record, close to $ 100,000, today belongs to another work of the same class - "Russian Icarus" 1973. But one must understand that this is precisely a record, an exception. And usually Glazunov's oils are sold today in the range of $ 10,000–25,000. Of course, given the auction history and size, Ivan the Terrible would have cost more than an ordinary thing. But not 10 times. Rather, the same $ 50,000-60,000 - maybe a little more expensive.

A comment: Pictures of the most expensive living Russian artist at the historic Sotheby's went above the estimate, but without the excitement. For example, the most revealing and valuable "Answers of the Experimental Group" were sold about twice the estimate, but still for a relatively modest $ 37,500. But time has passed, and today Kabakov is considered one of the main, even just the main Russian artist post-war unofficial art. Western art critics have written monographs, made films, the artist is represented in the world's leading museums. Surprisingly, among the auction top-5 at Kabakov, almost all of the work was done on a figurative basis, including Vyacheslav Kantor's "Beetle" for 5.8 million dollars. Collectors do not accept tables and texts in their collections. The nearest reference sale for Answers of the Experimental Group took place at Phillips two years ago: a three-meter table, the Sobakin concept, was sold for $ 660,000. Expensive. But Answers in all respects are better and more significant than Sobakin. So the auction price for them today may be, rather, from $ 1,000,000 - 26 times more than 30 years ago. If so, then this thing of Kabakov became one of the most profitable purchases of those trades.