Auctions of royal memorabilia

[Forum Admin]

We rarely will post auctions here in the Forum, but Bob and I were both so struck with the quality and selection of the pieces in this Auction to take place at the oldest auction house in the world, Stockholms Auktionsverk, in Sweden, on December 9, that we decided to let you know about it.  The provenance of many items is of itself noteworthy, including the Swedish Royal Family and Alfed Nobel.
http://www.auktionsverket.se/

Lots include: A group of postage stamps given by the Grand Duchesses to a tutor, Spectacular Russian "Jacob" furniture, Imperial Porcelain, fine Silver, several lots of genuine Faberge, a rare copy of the original Imperial Coronation  book of 1896 with Samokiche illustrations, and an amazing selection of Russian paintings, including works by Aivazovsky, Lev Bakst, Alexei Bogoliubov, Natalia Goncharova, Konstantin Gorbatov, Boris Grigoriev, Konstantin Korovin, Mikhail Larionov, Isaac Levitan, Konstantin Makovsky, Mikhail Nesterov, Vasili Polenov, Ilya Repin, Feodor Rokotov, Ivan Shishkin, Konstantin Somov, Sergei Sudeikin, Nikolai Sverchkov, and Mikhail Vrubel., as well as period portraits of Alexander III.  The star of the show, though is lot 84, an amazing original portait of Nicholas II by Lipgart, dated 1896. "Presumably from an Imperial Palace in St. Petersburg; Acquired from a private collection in France. It is possible that the painting was in the possession of a member of the Imperial Family who emigrated to France, or that it was sold off by the Soviets at auction in the 1920s or 30s."

[Belochka]

Thank you FA, I enjoyed viewing the Russian paintings and drawings.

Hopefully many will return to Russia and can be appreciated by all in her museums and galleries.

[Robert_Hall]

Unfortunately, the catalogue state "without illustrations" ? Considering the recent magnificent Sotheby's royalty auction catalogues, seems a bit of a dissapointment.

[David_Pritchard]

I have had at least a half dozen catalogues from Stockholms Auktionsverk since they became a private company and I do remember them being at least partially illustrated. I find it hard to believe that their catalogue for such a high end sale is unillustrated like an old Sotheby's Arcade sale or the even partially illustrated like the even older Sotheby's Belgravia sale. One can only imagine how many businessman types will be in attendance, hoping to impress their equally unsophisticated friends back in Moscow by bring home a prized work of Russian art to hang on the wall in their new three story dacha filled with all possible conveniences known to man.

David

[Fontanka38]

I think there has been a misunderstanding..."Catalogue without illustrations" is just an option for those with slow download speeds. One can see all the illustrations by pressing on the option above it, "All objects"; and then, if one clicks on the pictures, one actually gets huge blow ups. On the contrary, the Scandinavian countries are so internet savvy that their websites tend to be much better illustrated than most. In this catalogue you can even look at the backs of pictures and the frames, as well as get close ups signatures...

[Robert_Hall]

Thank you Fontanka ! ` Makes sense to me now !

[Arleen_Ristau]

Thank you so much Rob for posting this auction.  People like me would never have access to anything like this.  

I've spent several hours studying everything listed.  Some of the paintings are to die for.  The Nicholas painting by Lipgart is the most beautiful I've seen of him.  I can only hope that we can find out who buys it and thus know where it will reside.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if an American museum would buy it.....just dreaming.

I was very interested in the painting done by Marie Pavlovna.  I love that little painting of the red tulips.   I'd never seen anything she painted before, and the same with Olga A.  The three little paintings by Olga are also priceless to me. I wish I could bid for them.

But the opportunity to just look thru the whole catalog was a real treat.  Bob and Rob it was so nice of you to post it.

..Arleen

[Ortino]

There is a Sotheby's auction of Russian art coming up on April 26 & 28 if anyone's interested. The pieces include a portrait by Boris Kustodiev of Marie Pavolvna the Elder, the wife of Vladimir Alexandrovich, in court dress. The portrait is estimated at $700,000-1,000,000. So if anyone has a spare couple hundred thousand dollars lying around, take advantage of this auction!  

http://search.sothebys.com/images/home/flash/russian06/index.html

[Margarita Markovna]

Hmm, now where's that million dollars I had lying around? I'm sure it's under a stack of laundry or something...

[GD Alexandra]

ha, ha,ha  ...well don't worry, my dear, I'll gladly lend you the insignificant sum until you find yours    

[Scott]

The sale set a new record of $54.4 million for a Russian only sale.

[Sean_Quinn]

I thought that this would be of interest to some of the members of this forum.
 
Ritchies Auctioneers in Toronto, Canada has three sets of Russian Imperial Napkins from the courts of Tsar Alexander III and Nicholas II.  These were purchased in Russia sometime after the revolution by the late Vincent Massey while on a trip selling farm equipment for Massey Manufacturing Company, (later Massey Ferguson).  Vincent Massey went on to become Governor General of Canada from 1952 to 1959, and the lots have been consigned by his daughter-in-law).
 
The auction takes place over 3 days, June 6, 7 and 8 with the napkins coming up on the 7th.  The auction starts at 7 p.m.
 
Lots are as follows:
 
Lot 2206
SET OF SEVEN RUSSIAN IMPERIAL SILK TEA NAPKINS FROM THE COURT OF TSAR ALEXANDER III
Last Quarter, 19th century.  From the court of Alexander III (reign 1881-1894), each silk damask napkin with Imperial double headed eagle crest, each corner with cipher of Alexander III.
37.0 X 37.0 cm. (14 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.).
Est.: $700/1,000 CND
Provenance: Estate of Vincent Massey (Governor General, 1952 - 1959), Batterwood House, Port Hope, Ontario.
 
 
Lot 2207
SET OF TEN RUSSIAN IMPERIAL SILK TEA NAPKINS FROM THE COURT OF TSAR NICHOLAS II
Circa 1900.  From the court of Nicholas II (reign 1894-1917), each silk damask napkin with Imperial double headed eagle crest, each corner with cipher of Nicholas II.
37.0 X 37.0 cm. (14 1/2 x 14 1/2 in.).
Est.: $800/1,200 CND
Provenance: Estate of Vincent Massey (Governor General, 1952 - 1959), Batterwood House, Port Hope, Ontario.
 
 
Lot 2208
SET OF EIGHT RUSSIAN IMPERIAL LINEN BANQUET NAPKINS FROM THE COURT OF TSAR NICHOLAS II
Dated 1914-1915.  From the court of Nicholas II (reign 1894-1917), each linen damask napkin with repeated Imperial double headed eagle crest and crossed sword and sceptre with crown emblem, each corner with cipher of Nicholas II and dates 1914-1915.
86.5 x 71.2 cm. (34 x 28  in.).
Est.: $1,000/1,500 CDN
Provenance: Estate of Vincent Massey (Governor General, 1952 - 1959), Batterwood House, Port Hope, Ontario.
 
You may register to bid live in the house, by telephone, online, or leave an absentee bid.
 
If this notice is of interest to you, or you would like more information please visit our website at www.ritchies.com , or contact me directly by email.  Images can be seen on our website, search 'Russian Imperial'.

 
Sincerely,
D. Sean Quinn
Decorative Arts Department
Ritchies Auctioneers and Appraisers Inc.
288 King Street East,
Toronto, Ontario
CANADA
M5A 1K4
 
Ph.: (416) 364-1864    Fax: (416) 364-0704
 
squinn@ritchies.com

[Arleen_Ristau]

Thank you for posting this information.  I looked at the pictures and wished I had the money.....

Does anyone know why the silk Tea Napkins have a fringe but the linen ones seem to be more formally hemmed?

Arleen

[Ortino]

Thank you for posting this information.  I looked at the pictures and wished I had the money.....

Does anyone know why the silk Tea Napkins have a fringe but the linen ones seem to be more formally hemmed?

Arleen

Perhaps they were part of Olga's dowry? I have seen almost the exact same napkins, including the fringe, except with Olga's insignia instead of the double eagle. If they were indeed part of her dowry, they would have been finished when she was married.

[Forum Admin]

Olga's linens would have been made especially for her, only once her separate residence or marriage would have been established. All these linens have Nicholas' cypher, indicating they were meant for the Tsar's household use.

The fringe on the silk tea napkings is actually "fancier" than the plain hemmed edge on the plain linen.  The fringe would be far more delicate than a hemmed silk edge, so these are clearly more decorative and less for "real" use as a napkin.