According to Bloomberg News, Christie’s International sold a record ₤28.2 million ($55.1 million) of Russian art at auction in London yesterday, beating the previous record of $46.7 million, set by Sotheby’s in New York on April 26.“We bought a few things, but it wasn’t easy,'’ said Vladimir Voronchenko of Aurora Fine Art Investments, an art-investment fund owned by the Russian oil and mining billionaire, Viktor Vekselberg, one of the most prominent Russian art collectors.

Christie’s presale estimate was between ₤25 million and ₤38 million. More than 70 percent of the 510 lots sold, and six records were set for painters at auction. Imperial vases and early 20th-century paintings were most popular. About four out of five buyers were Russian, said Alexis de Tiesenhausen, head of Christie’s Russian department in London.

Seven of the top 10 presale paintings, and the most expensive lot, a Faberge silver Imperial mantle clock, valued at between ₤4 million and ₤6 million, didn’t sell.

“Some estimates were too high, and didn’t reflect what the market will realistically pay,” said Yulya Ivanova of the Russian National Museum, a private Moscow art gallery that buys Faberge works. “Some potential buyers were frightened off.”

Among the works that failed to find a buyer were “Fishermen on the Coast of Sorrento,” by Ivan Aivazovsky (1817-1900), with a low estimate of ₤800,000, and “A Windmill Overlooking a Moonlit Bay,” 1858, with a low estimate of ₤400,000.

“Pine Forest in Viatka Province,” 1889, by Ivan Shishkin (1832-98), with a low estimate of ₤500,000, also didn’t sell. The lackluster performance by Shishkin and Aivazovsky, previously leaders at any Russian sale, indicate a shift in taste toward the early 20th century, away from classical 19th century painting.

The top painting and biggest surprise of the day was, “Pastorale Russe,” 1922, by Konstantin Somov (1869-1939). This erotic scene of a man approaching a sleeping woman had a high estimate of 300,000 pounds. Frenzied bidding quickly pushed it to ₤2.7 million, a record for the artist at auction and the highest price paid for a painting at a Russian sale.

“Pastorale Russe” was one of a group of nine works by Somov that came from a French family collection, and which collectively sold for more than ₤4 million, most above top estimates.

“The family never realized the value of the works that they had on the wall,” Tiesenhausen said.

Aivazovsky’s “View of Constantinople,” 1852, went for 1.63 million pounds on a low estimate of ₤1.5 million. “The Children,” 1918, by Boris Grigoriev (1886-1939), sold for ₤960,000 on a top estimate of ₤350,000, a record for the artist at auction.

“The Adoration of the Magi,” 1913, by Pavel Filonov (1883-1941), sold for ₤904,000 on a top estimate of ₤350,000, also a record for the artist at auction.

The top price of the day was for a pair of 1844 porcelain vases, each decorated with an Old Master painting and made by the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. The pair fetched ₤2.8 million on a top estimate of ₤1.8 million.

The 139-centimeter-high vases were a gift from Czar Nicholas I (1825-1855) to Paul Friedrich August, Grand Duke of Oldenburg, and consigned by the latter’s heirs. A battle between two phone bidders pushed the price to a record for Russian porcelain.

Another pair of Nicholas I Imperial vases, about 90 centimeters in height, sold for ₤1.35 million, topping the estimate of ₤1.2 million.

Christie’s total 2006 Russian art sales to date are $70 million, up from $40.7 million in 2005.

Popularity: 12% [?]