Rare Russian Icons and Easter Eggs at Auction

In the wake of the successful auction this summer, where Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers in Copenhagen sold Russian icons for millions of Danish Kroner, we now follow up with another magnificent auction with art and antiques from Tsarist Russia. Once again we have chosen to present these artefacts in a special catalogue. The most spectacular of these auction lots will be exhibited at the Royal Danish Embassy in London on 27 and 28 November in connection with the Russian Art Week.

“At the summer's auction, it was especially the unique icons from the Norwegian commercial attaché Richard Zeiner-Henriksen's private collection that wrote themselves into auction history. This time we can present three more icons from his collection – one from the Novgorod school in the 16th century with six scenes from Jesus' life and one from the 17th-century Yaroslavl school with a depiction of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. The last of the three icons originates from the Stroganov School in the 17th century, which, in accordance with the iconographic tradition, depicts John the Baptist with his own decapitated head in a gilded chalice”, says Martin Hans Borg, Russian Specialist at Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers.

Russian Art from Norwegian Diplomats

Einar Krane was another Norwegian commercial attaché who was employed at the Norwegian Embassy in Moscow during the first half of the 20th century. He married Russian Ekaterina, who inherited a large art collection from her father. Throughout the years, the Krane couple presumably expanded on the collection with several icons and artefacts. Despite the chaotic situation under the Second World War, the Kranes managed to get large parts of the art collection with them out of the country as they decided to move to Scandinavia in 1946. From this collection, we have a cup from the Imperial Glass Works engraved with the Alexander Column in front of the Winter Palace from 1834 as well as three fine icons from the Novgorod school in the 17th century that depict the Mother of God Vladimirskaya, the protection of the Mother of God and the church maker St. Antoni. Today, the National Gallery in Oslo and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm own several icons from Krane's collection.

Treasures from the Russian Tsar

Many of the auction's artefacts originate from the Russian Tsar family and were often given as gifts by them. Most notable are those owned and given by the female part of the family – Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna of Russia, Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia and Queen Alexandrine of Denmark. We begin with Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna’s beautiful white shawl with Brussels lace from the 1860s and continue with Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna, who married Hereditary Grand Duke Friedrich Franz (III) of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1879. From her collection of jewellery comes a series of colourful Easter egg pendants of gold, precious stone and enamel. They have in several cases been made by the famous Russian jeweller Fabergé – by leading workmasters such as August Holmström and Mikhail Perchin. We also take a closer look at the Grand Duchess Anastasia's daughter, Queen Alexandrine, with a magnifying glass, a business card case, a card box and Easter egg pendants that have all been in her possession.

Exhibition in London

Highlights from the auction will be exhibited during Russian Art Week in London at the Royal Danish Embassy, 55 Sloane St., on 27 and 28 November. Please note, that the Embassy requires registration 24 hours in advance to tradelonamb@um.dk. Photo ID is required.

Preview and Auction in Copenhagen

Bruun Rasmussen Auctioneers, Bredgade 33, Copenhagen

Preview: 23-26 November, 30 November and 1 December

Russian Art Auction: 1 December

.