Auction news
“Unexpected joy” on the Russian sales in Germany
Source: The Russian Antique
A rare and very valuable icon of Karl Faberge´ workshop will be exposed for bidding from Dr.Fisher Auction House that will take place on November, 29. The auction will be held in German city Heilbronn and will represent the series of interesting works of applied and decorative art, including several excellent objects of court goldsmithery for connoisseurs of Russian art.
The icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, known as “Unexpected joy” has appeared in the antiquarian market not for the first time. In 1974 it was sold by Sotheby’s Auction and since “it has been in the small, but rather refined private collection of one banker’s family”. The icon was made by masters of Moscow manufacture by Karl Faberge and dated 1908 – 1917. The depiction of the Mother of God with her son is based on the story of a saint Dmitriy Rostovsky about transforming a sinner into a god-fearing person. The image is encased in silver frame, executed with a high level of excellence, decorated with chasing, filigree and numerous cabochons. The lot was estimated at ˆ18 000, but one should not close out the possibility of a serious rising of the estimate. Russian icons used to be in great constant demand in the antiquarian market. But the ones connected with the name of Karl Faberge provoke special interest, such as, for a example “Christ Pantocrator” sold by Sotheby' s auction for ˆ 780 000 on April, 16.
Along with the icon Dr.Fisher Auction House put up on the sales other several exclusive items, created by masters of Faberge´ firm. Among them one should specify an excellent enamel kovsh (estimate: ˆ 8500) and fine wooden spoon with a silver handle estimated at ˆ 5500. A golden fine-saved goblet by Petersburg jeweler Paul Sasikov got a high estimate.
Dr.Fisher has been regularly organizing auctions of Russian art. Thereby experts of the House pay special attention to decorative and applied art and items of jewelry, in particular to objects of Karl Faberge’s workshop.
