Catalogue

After Vasily Tropinin (1776-1857). Portrait of Duke Peter Bagration. Oil on cardboard. Russia, 19th century.
Dimensions with frame: 64 x 55 cm. Without frame: 49 x 39.5 cm.

Starting price: 1500€
Estimate: 2000-2500€

“The Holy Family”, Italy. Painting on cardboard. 18th century. Dimensions with frame: 37 x 42 cm. Without frame: 25 x 29.7 cm. Italy, 18th century.

Starting price: 650€
Estimate: 800-1000€

A huge copy of the painting by Anatoly Nikiforovich Yarr-Kravchenko (1911–1983), ‘Gorky Reads the Fairy Tale “The Girl and Death”. 1940s – early 1950s (from the original 1940 painting). Oil on canvas. Dimensions: 195 x 150 cm.

Starting price: 500€
Estimate: 750-1000€

Russian icon of Saint Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod.
Central Russia, after 1911.
Wood, gesso, oil; gilding, painted ornament, applied decorative pastiglia.
Dimensions: 31.2 x 27 x 3 cm.
Inscription: along the lower cartouche: “Св. Iоасафъ Еп. Белгород…”
Saint Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod.
An icon depicting Saint Joasaph of Belgorod in full episcopal vestments, standing frontally within an architectural interior. The saint is shown as a hierarch: in a blue sakkos with floral ornament, omophorion, episcopal mitre and medallion panagia. In his right hand he holds a blessing cross; in his left, a staff with a green veil. In the upper left corner appears Christ Pantocrator in a cloud mandorla, blessing the saint and holding the Gospel.
The border is richly decorated with gilded relief ornament imitating the effect of an enamelled or jewelled frame. Scrolling foliage, dark blue reserves, green and turquoise accents, and rows of small pearl-like beads create a festive ornamental setting.
Saint Joasaph of Belgorod, who died in 1754, was one of the most venerated Russian hierarchs of the eighteenth century. His incorrupt relics and reported miracles formed the basis of a powerful local and national cult, and his official glorification by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1911 led to a broad dissemination of his icons. The present image should therefore be understood in the context of this renewed veneration on the eve of the First World War.

Starting price: 800€
Estimate: 1000-1200€
Hammer Price: €

Joann Voldemar Saarniit (1909-1984) “On the Heights”, 1969. Framed. Oil on masonite. Signed: down right. Joann Voldemar Saarniit (1909–1984) was an Estonian artist known for his painting and graphic art. He studied at the Pallas Art School in Tartu. Saarniit’s work, which included landscapes and portraits, blended realism and modernism. He was actively involved in the Estonian art scene and exhibited widely. Saarniit continued to contribute to art until his death in 1984, and his work is still appreciated in Estonian art collections. Artwork has an certificate of authenticity. Dimensions: 50.5 x 76.2 cm.

Starting price: 900€
Estimate: 1000-1200€

Russian travelling triptych icon with the Dormition of the Mother of God, the Resurrection of Christ and the Baptism of Christ.
Russian Empire, late 19th century.
Copper alloy, three-colour enamel; casting, chasing, enamelling.
Dimensions closed: 6.5 x 6 x 1.5 cm.
Dimensions opened: 6.5 x 16.4 x 0.7 cm.
A small folding travelling icon, or skladen, composed of three hinged panels. The central panel depicts the Resurrection of Christ, with the figure of the Saviour shown frontally in a mandorla-like radiance, surrounded by attendant figures. The left wing represents the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, with the Virgin laid upon her bier and Christ appearing above to receive her soul. The right wing shows the Baptism of Christ, or Theophany, with Christ standing in the waters of the Jordan and flanked by sacred figures.
The cast relief is enriched with remains of silvering and translucent three-colour enamel, in blue, green and amber-orange tones.

Starting price: 100€
Estimate: 150-200€
Hammer Price: €

Ovchinnikov. Icon of Saint Martyr Panteleimon.
Silver, gold, filigree, gliding, cloisonné enamel, oil painting on wood.
Makers mark of «P. Ovchinnikov» with Imperial warrant. Moscow, 1896.

Dimensions: 10.3 x 9 x 2.2 cm.
Total weight: 290.2 g
Icon of Saint Panteleimon in a silver-gilt oklad by the Ovchinnikov firm. The central is painted in oil on wood; the saint’s nimbus and garments are overlaid and made with 24k gold. The cover is decorated with cloisonné enamel in blue, white, and red, arranged in geometric and floral patterns referring to traditional Russian wooden architecture.
Saint Panteleimon, patron of physicians, was a popular subject in 19th-century Russia. The Ovchinnikov workshop, Imperial Court supplier, was renowned for enamel and silverwork of the highest quality, celebrated at international exhibitions.
See similar:
https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2011/russian-works-of-art-faberg-and-icons-l11113/lot.634.html
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5091302

Starting price: 8000€
Estimate: 10000-15000€
Hammer Price: €

“Valerian Loik (1904-1986) – “In Front of the Ruined House”. Graphic drawing on paper. Black and brown ink. Signed: down right. Loik played a key role in educating future artists. As a member of the Union of Artists of the Soviet Union, he shared his expertise as a professor at the Art Institute of Tallinn and was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Estonian SSR. ” Artwork has an certificate of authenticity.
Dimensions: 15.6 x 19.3 cm.

Starting price: 200€
Estimate: 250-300€

“Jüri Kask “”Abstract”” (1993)
Drawing. Signed and dated.
Sheet dimensions: 20.3 x 27.2 cm
1 piece”

Starting price: 75€
Estimate: 100-150€

Icon of Christ Pantokrator. Silver, gilding, cloisonné enamel, oil painting on wood.
Maker mark of «EAK». Moscow, 1898-1908.
Dimensions: 13.5 x 9 x 2.3 cm.
Total weight: 222.2 g

Icon of Christ Pantokrator in a silver-gilt oklad decorated with cloisonné enamel. The central panel depicts Christ painted in oil on wood: His right hand raised in blessing, His left holding an open Gospel with the inscription “I am the Light of the World.” The enamel cover is richly ornamented with an arch of floral motifs and a border of geometric patterns in red and blue, enhancing the solemnity of the image.
The hallmark [EAK] refers to Emelyan Alekseevich Kuznetsov, owner of a silver workshop founded in 1886. According to records from 1897, the workshop produced silver icon covers valued at 5,000 rubles. At that time, it employed 13 men, 6 adolescents, and 6 boys (silver, chased icon oklad, State Historical Museum). In 1898, the workshop is listed at Pereyaslavskaya Street, in Kuznetsov’s own house, Moscow.

Starting price: 5000€
Estimate: 6000-8000€
Hammer Price: €

Jüri Kask “Abstract” (1993)
Drawing. Signed and dated.
Sheet dimensions: 20.3 x 27.2 cm
1 piece

Starting price: 75€
Estimate: 100-150€

Khlebnikov. Russian Icon of Saint Guardian Angel in Neo-byzantine style 

Silver, cloisonné enamel.
Makers mark of «I.KH» with Imperial warrant. Moscow, the end of the 19th century.
Silver, cloisonné enamel (Byzantine technique)
This icon is executed in the Byzantine enamel technique, distinguished by bright polychrome en plein surfaces, deep translucence, and precise detail. The Saint Angle is depicted frontally, holding in the left hand sphere and the cross in the right one. The figure is adorned in richly coloured vestments with enamel in palette of white, blue, yellow and red, framed by a finely worked nimbus with stylised spiral ornament.
The Khlebnikov firm, founded in Moscow in 1867, was one of the foremost Russian producers of silver and enamelware in the late Imperial period. Known as Supplier to the Imperial Court, the workshop gained renown for reviving and modernising ancient Russian and Byzantine decorative traditions. Its masters excelled in cloisonné enamel, producing icons, liturgical objects, tableware, and presentation pieces, many of which were exhibited at international exhibitions and awarded highest prizes.
This plaque exemplifies Khlebnikov’s interpretation of Byzantine heritage, combining medieval artistic vocabulary with the technical perfection and luxurious materials typical of Russian decorative arts at the turn of the century.
Dimensions: 10,1 x 8,3 cm. Total weight: 101 g.

Starting price: 800€
Estimate: 1000-1200€
Hammer Price: €

Abel Lee “Beret” (1950)
Graphics. Signed and dated. In the lower left corner of the sheet: Lee 49. Abel Lee (1918–2010) was an Estonian artist and the first president of the Estonian Artists’ Union in Toronto. He studied graphic art in Tallinn and emigrated to Canada in 1951. His work, often fantasy-inspired and semi-abstract, focused on color and form, blending graphic and mixed techniques.
Frame dimensions: 31 x 40 cm, opening 16 x 25 cm.

Starting price: 100€
Estimate: 150-200€

A Russian Icon of Christ Pantokrator
Mosocw, circa 1880.
Silver, partially gilded, engraved; oil painted. Marks: stamped on the side with 84 zolotnik silver standard and Moscow assay mark.
Dimensions: 6.7 × 5.5 × 1 cm.
A small rectangular traditional icon representing Christ Pantokrator in half-length, shown raising His right hand in blessing and holding the orb in His left. The image is covered with a finely engraved silver riza, the face and hands left visible through shaped apertures in the traditional manner. The surface is enriched with delicate linear work defining the folds of the robes, the cross-halo, and the architectural frame, while the spandrels are accented with restrained geometric ornament.

Starting price: 100€
Estimate: 150-200€
Hammer Price: €

A Russian pendant travel icon of “The Holy Warrior John”, painting on porcelain.
Dimensions with the frame: 7.3 x 6.4 x 1 cm

Starting price: 250€
Estimate: 300-400€
Hammer Price: €

Arno Vihalemm “Red Rocks” (1964). Woodcut. Signed and dated. Numbered: 22/230
Arno Vihalemm (born Arnold Koch; May 24, 1911, Pärnu – June 21, 1990, Ystad, Sweden) was an Estonian poet, graphic artist, and book illustrator.
Frame dimensions: 38.5 x 48.5 cm, opening dimensions: 24.5 x 33 cm.

Starting price: 200€
Estimate: 250-300€

Samovar in the Shape of an Egg
Shemarin Brothers’ Manufactory, Tula, 1880s
Silver-plated brass, wood
Height: 45 cm (including the chimney cap)

This silver-plated brass samovar, crafted in the form of an egg, represents the refined aesthetic and exceptional quality of the Shemarin Brothers’ Manufactory in Tula — one of the foremost samovar producers of late Imperial Russia. The harmonious proportions, fine polish, and elegant detailing reflect the high standards of Tula metalwork in the late 19th century.

The Shemarin Brothers manufactured samovars at a time when Russian tea ceremonies had become a hallmark of cultured domestic life. Their samovars were sought after not only by the Russian nobility and intelligentsia but also by Persian shahs, Indian maharajas, and European aristocrats, who appreciated both their craftsmanship and their aura of Russian luxury.

The dynasty began with Ivan Rodionovich Shemarin, a former serf who earned his freedom and, together with his wife Agrippina and five sons, settled in the Tula province. In 1887, the brothers established their own manufactory, which quickly grew into one of the largest in Russia. By 1904, their enterprise ranked second only to the famed Batashev factory, employing over 700 workers and producing up to 6,000 samovars per month.

Their products gained international acclaim, receiving more than ten medals at world fairs — including a silver medal at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle and an honorary diploma at the 1901 Glasgow Exhibition. In 1906, the Shemarins were appointed official suppliers to the Shah of Persia, a distinction shared by only a handful of firms worldwide. A year later, they produced several miniature samovars for Emperor Nicholas II.

The factory’s hallmark was variety and precision: more than a hundred models were made, ranging from traditional coal samovars to alcohol-burning and silver-plated types. Each was inspected personally by the eldest brother before leaving the workshop — a testament to their commitment to excellence.

Starting price: 600€
Estimate: 800-1000€
Hammer Price: €

A battle scene from the First World War (1914-1918). Mixed technique. The signature on the background: “The work of Academician N. S. Samokish-professor of battle painting of the Academy of Arts.” Artist: Nikolai Semyonovich Samokish, a Russian and Soviet battle painter, teacher, animalist, and book graphic artist. Academician of Painting and a full member of the Imperial Academy of Arts, Honored Artist of the RSFSR, and recipient of the Stalin Prize (second degree). Dimensions with a frame: 43 x 53 cm.

Starting price: 1500€
Estimate: 1800-2500€

Attributed to A. Orlovskiy (1777-1832). “Ural Cossack on patrol”. Oil on canvas. 1810s.
Dimensions: 52 x 45 x 1.2 cm.

Starting price: 800€
Estimate: 1000-1200€

Imperial Russian Samovar
By the Buch Brothers (Gebrüder Buch), Warsaw, mid–19th century
Silver-plated brass
Height: 43.5 cm

A rare samovar crafted by the Buch Brothers manufactory, operating in Warsaw during the period when Poland was part of the Russian Empire. This example, distinguished by its sculptural form and intricate metalwork, represents one of the few surviving samovars attributed to this renowned maker.

The body is pear-shaped with narrow vertical fluting. The domed lid, decorated with alternating wide and narrow ovals, merges seamlessly with a conical, pierced chimney. The spout and supports are richly ornamented with vegetal motifs, while the handles — composed of paired, upward-curving elements — imitate stylized plant stems. The baluster-shaped base rests on four circular feet, giving the piece a graceful silhouette.

The Gebrüder Buch firm was first mentioned in 1809, when it established a workshop in St. Petersburg for the production of buttons and metal decorations for military uniforms. Its later owners, Agaton Buch and Karl Ludwig Mauss, were awarded a gold medal by Emperor Alexander II in 1865 for “Diligence and Artistry.”

In the 1860s, Buch and Mauss purchased the Henniger silver-plating factory located at Żelazna Street No. 1146 in Warsaw, marking a new chapter in the company’s history. Their products soon gained recognition for exceptional quality and design. At the Moscow Polytechnic Exhibition of 1872, the Buch Brothers received a gold medal and the right to use the Russian Imperial double-headed eagle emblem on their wares — a privilege granted only to distinguished suppliers.

In 1882, the company merged with its long-time trade partner Norblin & Co., forming the Joint Stock Company of Metal Factories Norblin, Buch Brothers & T. Werner (N.B.W.), one of the most important metallurgical enterprises in Warsaw

Starting price: 7000€
Estimate: 8000-10000€
Hammer Price: €