CHRISTIE'S TO OFFER RARE RUSSIAN ART FROM GALERIE POPOFF COLLECTION

CHRISTIE'S RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE AUCTION OF GALERIE POPOFF - AN ENDURING PASSION FOR RUSSIAN ART WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE ON 12-13.OCTOBER.2009 IN LONDON, AND WHICH WILL PRESENT EXCEPTIONAL RUSSIAN WORKS OF ART FROM ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED RUSSIAN GALLERIES IN PARIS. THE AUCTION WILL OFFER AROUND 550 STUNNING LOTS, INCLUDING RARE RUSSIAN AND EUROPEAN 18th AND 19th CENTURY PORCELAIN, WATERCOLOURS, PAINTINGS, WORKS OF ART AND TEXTILES. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUCTION IS PART OF A PORCELAIN SERVICE MADE BY THE ROYAL BERLIN PORCELAIN FACTORY IN 1778 FOR GRAND DUKE PAUL PETROVICH (ESTIMATED £200,000- 300,000). THIS MAGNIFICENT SERVICE WAS COMMISSIONED BY EMPEROR FREDERICK II OF PRUSSIA AND ALL THE PIECES OFFERED IN THE SALE FEATURE THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN EMPIRE AND THE ARMS FOR THE DUCHY OF HOLLSTEIN-GOTTORP, PAUL'S PATRIARCHAL ARMS. TO CELEBRATE THE CORONATION OF CATHERINE THE GREAT IN 1762, FOLLOWING THE DEPOSITION OF HER HUSBAND PETER III, THE IMPERIAL PORCELAIN FACTORY IN ST. PETERSBURG CREATED A SPECIAL PRESENTATION COVERED CUP AND SAUCER. THE COVER IS CROWNED WITH THE TWO HEADED IMPERIAL EAGLE, MAKING THIS LOT UNIQUE. NO COMPARABLE EXAMPLE EXISTS, EVEN AMONGST THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUM COLLECTIONS IN RUSSIA (estimate: £150,000-170,000).
ESTABLISHED IN 1920, GALERIE POPOFF, LOCATED JUST OPPOSITE THE ELYSEE PALACE IN PARIS, HAS LONG BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE MOST ESTEEMED SOURCES OF RUSSIAN ART AND ANTIQUITIES, ASSEMBLED BY THREE GENERATIONS OF COLLECTORS AND ART DEALERS, IS THE SUBJECT OF A BOOK, ENTITLED 'MASTERPIECES OF 18th CENTURY RUSSIAN PORCELAIN FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE POPOFF AND CIE GALLERY' PUBLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR, WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SEVERAL DISTINGUISHED PORCELAIN EXPERTS FROM PRESTIGIOUS RUSSIAN MUSEUMS.