Lot 0172
Russian Wood Icon in Silver Riza “St. George and the Dragon”
Estimate: 1000-1500€
Icon of Saint George and the Dragon in Silver Riza
Warsaw, Russian Empire, 1894
Maker’s mark: O. Radke
Wood, tempera, silver
Dimensions: 23.5 × 17.2 × 2 cm
This finely crafted Russian icon depicts Saint George the Victorious, one of the most revered warrior saints of the Orthodox Church, shown on horseback slaying the dragon — a timeless symbol of faith’s triumph over evil. The saint’s face and hands are delicately painted in oil, while the remainder of the composition is covered with a richly embossed silver riza (revetment).
The riza bears the mark of O. Radke, a prominent Warsaw silversmith of the late 19th century, known for the exceptional quality of his ecclesiastical metalwork.
Starting price: 800€
Estimate: 1000-1500€
Hammer Price: UNSOLD€
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Lot 0171
Commemorative Icon of Saint Nicholas (Nicholas of Winter) in a Silver Oklad and Wooden Kiot
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Commemorative Icon of Saint Nicholas (Nicholas of Winter) in a Silver Oklad and Wooden Kiot
Estimate: 2500-3500€Memorial Icon of Saint Nicholas (Nicholas of Winter) in a Silver Oklad and Wooden Kiot
Moscow, 1896
Wood, oil painting, silver oklad
Workshop of Antip KuzmichevDimensions:
Kiot with crest: 35 × 25.7 × 7.8 cm
Icon: 18 × 14.7 × 2.5 cmInscription on the presentation plaque:
“To Feldfebel (Sergeant) of the 10th Company, 89th Belomorsky Infantry Regiment, Ivan Tapper, in remembrance from the Company Commander Captain Hidlevsky and the lower ranks of the company. City of Reval, 1900.” This memorial icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, one of the most venerated saints in Russia and patronical Saint of Russian army, is painted in oil on wood and enclosed in a finely crafted silver-gilt oklad (riza) and a wooden kiot (protective case). The oklad, made by the renowned Moscow silversmith Antip Kuzmichev, exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of late 19th-century Russia. Kuzmichev’s workshop, founded in 1856, was famous for its collaboration with the American firm Tiffany & Co., producing luxury silver and enamel objects for both Russian and international markets.The engraved dedication connects this icon to the 89th Belomorsky Infantry Regiment of His Imperial Highness the Heir Tsarevich, part of the Imperial Russian Army. The regiment, whose lineage dates back to the early 18th century, was awarded numerous honors for its bravery in major military campaigns.
Such icons were often presented as tokens of respect and remembrance, symbolizing the bond between officers and soldiers. In this case, the icon was gifted to Sergeant Ivan Tapper by his commander and fellow soldiers while stationed in Reval (modern-day Tallinn) in 1900.
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Lot 0173
Signed Mikhail Yudin Russian Icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Saint Alexander Nevsky
Estimate: 20000-25000€
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Signed Mikhail Yudin Russian Icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Saint Alexander Nevsky
Estimate: 20000-25000€Signed Russian Icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Saint Alexander Nevsky
Russia, 1876
Tempera and gold leaf on wood
Signed by the icon painter Mikhail Yudin
Dimensions: 44.7 x 37.5 x 3.6 cm.This exceptional icon depicts Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, the merciful bishop of Myra, and Saint Alexander Nevsky, the revered Russian prince and defender of St. Petersburg. Above them, Christ Pantocrator appears in a radiant mandorla, bestowing blessing upon the saints below. The background is richly gilded with a finely tooled ornamental repoussé pattern immitating the prescious riza.
An inscription along the lower border identifies the artist and the date:
“Written by icon painter Mikhail Yudin in St. Petersburg, on the 10th day of 1876.”Mikhail Iudin (1818–1900) was one of the most renowned Russian icon painters of the second half of the 19th century. Born in Palekh, a historic center of iconography, he began his career in the workshop of Sofronov, another famed Palekh master, before moving to St. Petersburg. There he worked in the celebrated workshop of Imperial Court Supplier Mikhail Peshekhonov, later establishing his own studio near the Semenovsky Bridge on the Fontanka River. His workshop became one of the leading centers of Petersburg icon painting, known for its refined execution and luminous coloring.
Yudin was considered a “lichnik”, a title reserved for master painters responsible for the most delicate and spiritually significant part of the icon—the faces (liks) of the saints. His work represents the high Petersburg style of the late 19th century, blending traditional iconographic precision with the painterly elegance and decorative opulence characteristic of Russian Empire capital fine art.
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Lot 0174
Balkan 18th Century Icon of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva
Estimate: 1200-1500€
Lot 0174
Balkan 18th Century Icon of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva
Estimate: 1200-1500€Icon of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva with Silver Riza
Balkans, 17th–18th century
Icon: tempera on wood, 17th century
Riza: silver, repoussé and chased, 18th century
Dimensions: 32 × 27 × 4.5 cm
Riza weight: 860 gThis remarkable icon represents Saint Paraskeva (Paraskevi) of the Balkans, a revered Christian martyr known for her piety, compassion, and miracles. The saint is depicted holding a cross as a symbol of her martyrdom, flanked by two angels bearing crowns of glory.
The underlying icon, likely dating to the 17th century, retains the expressive intensity of early post-Byzantine Balkan iconography, characterized by elongated proportions, austere modeling, and a deep spiritual gravity.
The silver riza, executed in the 18th century, complements the image with richly embossed baroque ornamentation—cartouches, clouds, and acanthus motifs—framing the saint in a celestial setting.
Starting price: 1000€
Estimate: 1200-1500€
Hammer Price: UNSOLD€