​Exquisite Russian Art Collection up for Auction

Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers in Copenhagen are pleased to offer a large private Russian art collection of high quality at this summer's international auction in Copenhagen (9 June 2017). The collection belonged to the Norwegian commercial attaché Richard Zeiner-Henriksen, who lived in Russia during the first half of the 1900s. Here he created an impressive collection that includes Russian icons, princely portraits, antique furniture, porcelain, silver and glass. The collection covers a large part of Russian history – from Ivan the Terrible in the 1500s over Empress Catherine II the Great in the 1700s to the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, in the early 1900s.

"This summer's Russian auction is the largest in Bruun Rasmussen's history. We will be offering about 90 auction lots from Zeiner-Henriksen's unique collection together with a number of Russian art treasures from other private collections – all presented in a separate auction catalogue. This time we have chosen to exhibit some of the highlights in London during Russian Art Week prior to the auction in Copenhagen in order to meet the strong international demand for Russian art treasures. The auction highlights include the two icons "The Archangel Saint Mikhail" and "The Descent from the Cross". Each icon is estimated between DKK 800,000 and 1,000,000 (€ 110,000-135,000)," says Martin Hans Borg, Russian chief specialist at Bruun Rasmussen.

Commercial Attaché Richard Zeiner-Henriksen's Russian Collection

Richard Zeiner-Henriksen (1878-1965) was a passionate collector with a particular interest in Russian icons. When his collection was at its largest, he had about 60 icons from the 16th-17th century. Some of these can now be found at renowned museums such as the Louvre in Paris, the National Museum in Oslo and the Bergen Museum Gallery. Many of these icons are also published in the book “Russiske ikoner i norsk og svensk eje” (Russian Icons in Norwegian and Swedish Ownership) by Helge Kjellin from 1956.

Zeiner-Henriksen's interest in Russian art and history arose from two longer stays in Russia in 1900-17 and 1922-31. The time in Russia was interrupted by the revolution and civil war that lasted from 1917 to 1922 and compelled Zeiner-Henriksen to return to Norway for a few years. When he and his family returned to St. Petersburg in 1922 they settled in the stately Saltykov Palace that lay close to the Winter Palace. It was built in 1784-88 by Giacomo Quarenghi – one of the city's famous architects – and was purchased in 1796 by Empress Catherine II the Great. Soon after she gave it to Field Marshal, Prince Nikolai Ivanovich Saltykov in gratitude for his teaching of her grandchildren, Zarevich Alexander (I) and Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich.

The House of Saltykov left its mark on the palace for generations until 1917 when the Soviet state took over the property. In 1922 the Zeiner-Henriksen family moved in on the second floor where parts of the House of Saltykov’s furniture was still preserved. Richard and his wife Erica Zeiner-Henriksen had a common interest in the country's art and antiques. Richard collected icons, while Erica took care of the interior decoration of the family home. They supplemented their decor with many fine Russian paintings, furniture pieces and artistic crafts, which they bought in the years after the revolution where many Russians were selling their belongings due to lack of money and a declining interest in the country’s history during the 1920s. When Zeiner-Henriksen finally left St. Petersburg in 1931, the family was allowed to bring all of the furniture from their apartment in the Saltykov Palace with them home to Oslo. It is some of these interior pieces and the private art collection that is now coming up for auction in Copenhagen.

Auction in Copenhagen

All the offered items from the Russian auction, including Zeiner-Henriksen's collection will be exhibited at our preview in Bredgade 33 in Copenhagen from 24-29 May. The Russian art auction will be held on 9 June at 2 pm.

Exhibition in London

Selected highlights from this summer's Russian art auction will be exhibited at the Danish Embassy in London on 1-2 June during "Russian Art Week" just before the auction in Copenhagen.