Russian collectors snap up art from the Eastern bloc

A COLLECTION of post-revolutionary Soviet paintings attracted interest from Russian and British bidders when it went under the hammer at a Cotswolds auction house last week.

More than 100 works amassed by a single collector included paintings by Darya Alexandrovna Kollegova, Y Rainer, and Nina Sergeevna.

But it was a landscape by Andrei Mylinikov (1919-2012), regarded as one of the brightest representatives of the Soviet art, and who played an important role in the formation of the Leningrad school of painting, that made the top price of the day at Moore Allen & Innocent’s selected antiques sale in Cirencester on Friday, July 7.

Shady Hillock, an oil on canvas featuring a couple picnicking, was bought for £4,600 by a Russian bidder who also placed the winning bid of £2,500 for a lake landscape, signed by artist unknown and dated 1986.

Not all of the Russian collection was snapped up by Russian bidders, however.

Natasha, a portrait of a woman holding a book on her lap, and looking thoughtfully into the distance, by Vasily Filipovich Rudnev was purchased by a local English collector for £900 against an estimate of £300 to £500.

Elsewhere in the pictures section, a signed limited edition print of Genesis by Barbara Hepworth sold for £3,200 against an estimate of £1,500 to £2,500, while Blue Clematis by Bennett Oates, painted on oil on board in 1989 and typical of his style, achieved £1,650.

Meanwhile, a pair of photographic portraits of and signed by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1976, and housed in embossed blue leather frames with gilt cyphers by Plante & Johnson London SW1, achieved £1,300, while an interesting signed photograph taken at a meeting of the four Allied commanders at the end of the Great War made £340.

The full length portrait of General Pétain (France), Marshal Sir Douglas Hague (Great Britain) Marshal Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander), and General John Pershing (United States) was taken by Captain Pupier, secretary to Foch.

In the furniture section, a circa 1650 oak single plank top refectory table, the underneath bearing two dished salt bowls, made £2,900 despite having mismatched top and later oak base.

A Victorian gothic revival brass lantern of hexagonal form achieved £2,600 despite signs of wear and tear including a missing glass pane and base, while a collection of 11 Victorian Doulton Lambeth chemists' jars, once in situ at G Horton chemist in Cirencester, were sold to a local buyer for £1,500.

In the jewellery section, a mid 20th century Garrard's ladies wristwatch with enamel dial set with Roman numerals surrounded by a mount of 28 brilliant cut diamonds, and with a gold mesh strap sold for £1,000.

And vintage ports also attracted some competitive bidding, with a case of 12 bottles of Warre's 1985 making £420, three bottles of Taylor's 1963 achieving £260, three bottles of W & J Graham & Co 1963 selling for £260, two bottles of Cockburn's 1963 making £240, and two bottles of Taylor's 1966 achieving £200.

The next sale at Moore Allen & Innocent is the antique and general sale on Friday, July 21. For more information visit mooreallen.co.uk