Books Russian tsars went for £ 1 46 million

The final chord of the week Russian Christie's auction was the "outstanding collection of Russian books and manuscripts from the imperial provenance", held on 29 November. Top-lot auction was the Illuminated Manuscripts "Collection of the emblems of all the sides of the court of His Imperial Highness" (St. Petersburg, 1769) with pictures of Andrei Grekov, which sold for £ 205,250 (estimate: 50-200 thousand. Pounds). "We are proud of the fact that on the eve of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the imperial Romanov dynasty Christie's held so successful auction, which was proposed by the unique collection of Russian books and manuscripts from the imperial provenance, - commented on the last trading director of books and manuscripts, Christie's London Sven Becker. - Meeting of this magnitude has never appeared on the market, and at the present time to create such a collection seems impossible. Collectors from around the world have fought to the last, because I understand the significance of the offered for auction lots. This excellent result once again underlines its leading position in the market of Christie's, especially when on the eve of the auction we set a record for the most expensive Russian books sold at auction. It was a collection of 22 autographic letters, postcards, and three two letters to Anatoly Steiger authorship of Marina Tsvetaeva. November 21 this lot went under the hammer for £ 433,250. " The overall result of yesterday's auction amounted to 1, 46 million pounds. Among the lots sold album of color lithographs with scenes of the coronation of Emperor Alexander III (£ 187 250), illustrated album with a description of the coronation of the Empress Anna Ivanovna 1731 (£ 67 250), the book is a perfect description in the years 1697-99 the first Russian diplomatic trip Count Boris Sheremeteva Poland (£ 58,850), the book of St. John Chrysostom "Conversations on the Evangelist Matthew" published in Vologda in 1592 (£ 49 250), the work of Count Mikhail Speransky "Review of historical information about the code of laws" (£ 10,620), two volumes Athanasius Fet's poems, which belonged to Alexander III (£ 7500). Over £ 16,250 was bought a copy of the popular in the early twentieth century, teenage novel Lydia Chara "Dzhavahovskoe nest", which belonged to the youngest daughter of Emperor Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Anastasia. Another of her books, a novel by Charles Kingsley's "Children of the water" in English was sold for £ 7,500. Collection of postcards, written in the years 1910-1918 daughters of Nicholas II, Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Darya Hesse, daughter of Nicholas II's adjutant, sold for £ 18 750. The last card was written in Tobolsk just before the execution of the royal family on it - Petrograd postmarked, delivered a month after the death of Nicholas II, his wife and children. Christmas card, written in 1915, Nicholas II and his wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna to her friend Anna Vyrubova's maid of honor, was sold for £ 875 pounds.