Jun 10, 2025 10:00 EST
Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art
195
Russian Silver-Gilt, Cloisonné and En Plein Enamel Box
Estate / Collection: Property from a Midwest Private Collection
Maker's mark indistinct, attributed to Feodor Rückert, Moscow, 1908-1917
Rectangular, the base with convex sides, on four bracket feet, the hinged cover centering a reserve painted en plein with Rivals [Соперники], after the original by Sergei Solomko, enameled throughout with stylized shaded vegetal ornament and geometric motifs on blue and brown grounds.
Height 1 5/8 inches, width 3 3/4 inches, depth 2 1/2 inches.
Feodor Rückert
Feodor Rückert (1840-1917) was arguably the most talented of all enamellers working in pre-revolutionary Russia. An exceptional example of the work from his later period, the present lot is decorated with delicately shaded enamel in the Neo-Russian style, inspired by Russian vernacular ornament but expressed in a thoroughly modern style and color palette. Like much of Rückert’s work, it incorporates a faithful reproduction in miniature of the work of a popular Russian painter, in this case Sergei Solomko (1867-1928). Miniatures were incorporated into a range of objects made by Rückert, from boxes to kovshi, which were retailed by Fabergé, Ovchinnikov and other select firms.
Sergei Solomko
Sergei Solomko participated in regular exhibitions in St. Petersburg before gaining international recognition by winning a prize at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893. He soon found himself in demand as a magazine illustrator for publications such as Niva, an illustrator for stories by Pushkin, Chekhov and Gogol, and a designer of theater posters and a series of postcards depicting old Russia published by Maison Lapine of Paris. After 1900, Solomko created models for the Imperial Porcelain Factory, worked with the House of Fabergé and provided sketches for the historical costumes worn at the famous 1903 ball at the Winter Palace.
Another enamel box by Feodor Rückert incorporating a miniature was sold in these rooms January 30, 2019, lot 169 (https://doyle.com/auction/lot/168-russian-silver-gilt-cloisonn-and-en-plein/?lot=1239531&sd=1). Further examples of works by Rückert with miniatures after Solomko include a box, sold Bonham’s, London, November 26, 2014, lot 103; a kovsh, sold Christie’s, July 21, 2020, lot 216; and a cigarette case, sold Christie’s, November 25, 2019, lot 261. A box by Rückert of similar form and with comparable decoration is held in the collection of The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (accession number 44.925. https://art.thewalters.org/detail/82308/casket-with-a-miniature-of-kuzma-minin-at-nizni-novgorod/).
Sold for $83,050
Estimated at $80,000 - $120,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Estate / Collection: Property from a Midwest Private Collection
Maker's mark indistinct, attributed to Feodor Rückert, Moscow, 1908-1917
Rectangular, the base with convex sides, on four bracket feet, the hinged cover centering a reserve painted en plein with Rivals [Соперники], after the original by Sergei Solomko, enameled throughout with stylized shaded vegetal ornament and geometric motifs on blue and brown grounds.
Height 1 5/8 inches, width 3 3/4 inches, depth 2 1/2 inches.
Notes:Feodor Rückert
Feodor Rückert (1840-1917) was arguably the most talented of all enamellers working in pre-revolutionary Russia. An exceptional example of the work from his later period, the present lot is decorated with delicately shaded enamel in the Neo-Russian style, inspired by Russian vernacular ornament but expressed in a thoroughly modern style and color palette. Like much of Rückert’s work, it incorporates a faithful reproduction in miniature of the work of a popular Russian painter, in this case Sergei Solomko (1867-1928). Miniatures were incorporated into a range of objects made by Rückert, from boxes to kovshi, which were retailed by Fabergé, Ovchinnikov and other select firms.
Sergei Solomko
Sergei Solomko participated in regular exhibitions in St. Petersburg before gaining international recognition by winning a prize at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893. He soon found himself in demand as a magazine illustrator for publications such as Niva, an illustrator for stories by Pushkin, Chekhov and Gogol, and a designer of theater posters and a series of postcards depicting old Russia published by Maison Lapine of Paris. After 1900, Solomko created models for the Imperial Porcelain Factory, worked with the House of Fabergé and provided sketches for the historical costumes worn at the famous 1903 ball at the Winter Palace.
Another enamel box by Feodor Rückert incorporating a miniature was sold in these rooms January 30, 2019, lot 169 (https://doyle.com/auction/lot/168-russian-silver-gilt-cloisonn-and-en-plein/?lot=1239531&sd=1). Further examples of works by Rückert with miniatures after Solomko include a box, sold Bonham’s, London, November 26, 2014, lot 103; a kovsh, sold Christie’s, July 21, 2020, lot 216; and a cigarette case, sold Christie’s, November 25, 2019, lot 261. A box by Rückert of similar form and with comparable decoration is held in the collection of The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (accession number 44.925. https://art.thewalters.org/detail/82308/casket-with-a-miniature-of-kuzma-minin-at-nizni-novgorod/).
Russian Works of Art
In excellent original condition. No visible restoration under UV light. Minor surface wear and rubbing to gilding.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art, Jun 10, 2025
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Prices Soared at Auction of Russian Paintings on June 10, 2025 as Sale Totaled $1.5 Million
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1921 Landscape by Petr Konchalovsky Achieved $540,250
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY -- International competition at Doyle’s inaugural auction dedicated to Russian Paintings on June 10, 2025 sent prices soaring, driving the sale total to $1.5 million—more than double the high estimate. Bidders vied for important paintings and works on paper, including 19th century portraiture and landscapes, as well as Impressionist, Modern, and Post-War works.
Petr Konchalovsky - Sold for $540,250
The standout of the sale was Bridge with Horse, 1921, by Petr Konchalovsky (1876–1956), which sparked a trans-Atlantic bidding war. Estimated at $40,000–60,000, the painting ultimately sold to a European buyer for an astonishing $540,250. Bridge with Horse was painted during a pivotal period of the artist's career, turning away from studio painting and instead embracing the energy of the natural world. The painting boasts an impressive exhibition history, having been exhibited at Konchalovsky's solo shows at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and in Paris in 1922 and 1925 respectively. The work was also one of thirteen paintings that Konchalovsky showed in the Soviet Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1924. Bridge with Horse was consigned to Doyle by the estate of a European collector, having remained in private hands for more than half a century.
Works by other artists also sold far above expectations. Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin’s (1861-1939) View of the River, 1932, estimated at $50,000-70,000 sold for $229,000, Alessio Issupoff’s (1889-1957) The Milliner, 1946, estimated at $40,000-60,000 realized $102,100, and Vassili Dmitrievich Polenov’s (1844-1927) verdant depiction of Spring, 1880, estimated at $15,000-25,000 achieved $95,750.
Impressive results were also achieved for works by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, Vassili Dmitrievich Polenov, Alexei Harlamoff, Julius Yulevich Von Klever, and Boris Israelevich Anisfeld, among other artists.
Russian Works of Art
Also offered on June 10 were Russian Works of Art, featuring Fabergé, enamels, silver, porcelain and icons. (Read More)
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