Apr 21, 2026 10:00 EST
Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art
230
Fabergé Silver Presentation Charka
Property of an Upper East Side Collector
Workmaster Erik Kollin, St. Petersburg, circa 1888.
Circular with a hammered surface, the base inset with a Russian silver Poltina, dated 1725, the handle shaped as a bird's head, with claw-set beak and cabochon garnet eyes, the exterior of the base engraved with a Russian presentation inscription to Boyarin Alexei Khitrovo, dated 1 January 1888.
Length 4 1/4 inches (10.8 cm), approximately 3.4 ounces (107 grams), gross.
Provenance:
Presented to Alexey Khitrovo, January 1888.
With Peter Zervudachi, Galerie du Lac, Vevey, Switzerland.
Acquired from the above by the present owner, July 1984.
Sold for $6,400
Estimated at $6,000 - $9,000
Includes Buyer's Premium
Property of an Upper East Side Collector
Workmaster Erik Kollin, St. Petersburg, circa 1888.
Circular with a hammered surface, the base inset with a Russian silver Poltina, dated 1725, the handle shaped as a bird's head, with claw-set beak and cabochon garnet eyes, the exterior of the base engraved with a Russian presentation inscription to Boyarin Alexei Khitrovo, dated 1 January 1888.
Length 4 1/4 inches (10.8 cm), approximately 3.4 ounces (107 grams), gross.
Provenance:
Presented to Alexey Khitrovo, January 1888.
With Peter Zervudachi, Galerie du Lac, Vevey, Switzerland.
Acquired from the above by the present owner, July 1984.
Notes:The inscription on the present charka almost certainly refers to Alexei Zakharovich Khitrovo (1848-1912), who was born into the noble Khitrovo family, a descendant of Boyarin Bogdan Khitro. Khitrovo was a Russian Imperial Court official, serving as Jägermeister (Master of the Hunt) of the Imperial Court and attaining the civil rank of Actual State Councillor.
Khitrovo is remembered primarily as one of the most prominent art collectors of late Imperial Russia. Over his lifetime, Khitrovo assembled an exceptionally rich collection of Russian and Western European painting, sculpture and decorative arts. His holdings included masterpieces such as Thomas Gainsborough’s celebrated Woman in Blue. In accordance with his will, the entire collection was bequeathed without compensation to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, significantly enriching its holdings of Western and Russian art. Khitrovo participated in high-society events, notably appearing in historical costume at the famous 1903 grand costume ball at the Winter Palace.
Another variation of this silver charka with a bird-form handle (with a nephrite beak and legs) was in the Forbes Collection (C. Forbes & R. Tromeur-Brenner, Fabergé, The Forbes Collection, New York, 1999, p. 236, illustrated p. 237). The charka was later sold at auction: Important Works of Art by Carl Fabergé from the Forbes Collection, Christie's, New York, April 19, 2002, lot 100.
Auction: Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art, Apr 21, 2026
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Auction of Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art Tops $1.7 Million
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April 21, 2026 Sale Total Soars Past Expectations Amid International Bidding
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Circa 1905 Winter Sunset by Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé Achieved $152,900
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle’s highly successful auction of Russian Paintings / Russian Works of Art on April 21, 2026 saw international bidding drive outstanding results and a sale total that topped $1.7 million – far surpassing expectations. The paintings section of the sale delivered exceptional prices for a broad range of Russian art spanning the 19th and 20th centuries.
Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé
Transatlantic competition drove bidding on a radiant landscape by Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé (1874–1939) far beyond its $20,000–40,000 estimate, achieving an impressive $152,900. Titled Coucher de soleil (Engadine), or Twilight of the Gods, the circa 1905 work captures a brilliant sunset over a snow-covered landscape in the Swiss Alps—a region that proved a rich source of inspiration for the artist. Choultsé was celebrated for his masterful handling of light, particularly in winter scenes, where he rendered snow and ice with remarkable luminosity and depth.
Alexey Gavrilovich Venetsianov
Portrait of a Girl with a Hay Rake attributed to Alexey Gavrilovich Venetsianov achieved a stunning $140,200 amid spirited bidding that spanned the globe. Venetsianov (1780-1847) is widely regarded for his sensitive portrayals of rural life, which helped shape a distinctly Russian school of genre painting in the early 19th century. Property from a West Coast Private Collection, the present painting depicts a young peasant girl rendered in the characteristic manner of the Russian master.
Dmitri Krasnopevtsev
Strong results were also seen for Soviet non-conformist art, with a focused group of works underscoring continued demand for “unofficial” artists working beyond the limits of state-sanctioned doctrine. Among them, a still life by Dmitri Krasnopevtsev (1925-1995) achieved $70,350, reflecting sustained collector interest in artists who developed highly individual visual languages—often marked by wit, experimentation, and a pointed engagement with the realities of Soviet life.
Russian Works of Art
The April 21 sale also featured a section showcasing Russian Works of Art, including Fabergé, enamels, silver, porcelain and icons. (Read More)
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
