A Niche Area of Collecting
Religious items don’t often sell well for many reasons. Today’s collectors want art deco or mid-century modern. Supply and demand dictates that religious works have softened considerably.
But Russian icons are an entirely different story. The finest Russian icons are in their own category where religion, history, goldsmithing and enameling intersect.
A retired clergyman consigned two icons to our auction. One was fairly common with an estimated value of $300-$800. The second, better piece depicts Christ Pantocrator holding an open Gospel surrounded by fine enamel work. The craftsmanship was the work of Pavel Ovchinnikov, who was a supplier to the Russian Imperial Court. This is one of the finest we’ve ever seen with vivid colors, intricate borders and a jewel-like quality.
Ovchinnikov’s work typically achieves the $5,000-$20,000 range, with one notable example bringing six figures.
We gave it a modest estimate of $8,000 to $15,000 for our upcoming sale. The condition is a little rough, but we feel it will exceed this estimate.
Russian icons are highly collected all over the world. Yes, many religious works of art struggle in the marketplace, but great icons command respect.
