A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL, CIRCA 1890. Finely and realistically rendered on an ornately incised gilt ground, and the borders rendered with faux cloisonné enameling. Height 50.5 inches x 31 inches (128.5 x 78.5 cm).

Price Realized: $37,500.00

A RARE AND IMPORTANT RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT SEBASTIAN SOKHOTSKY, VASILY PESHEKHONOV, 1855. Executed on a large panel with double raised border, arched inner kovcheg and gilt ground. At center, a finely painted waist-up image of the monastic saint, who delivers a blessing with his right hand and holds a scroll inscribed in Old Church Slavonic with the first two lines of Psalm 39, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he listened to me, and heard my prayer, and from the pit of suffering he raised me up out of the mire..." Above the saint, rendered in the arched reserve, an image of the Old Testament Trinity. The borders displaying six saints, finely painted in miniature and with translucent pigments and intricate chrysography; on the left: the Holy Priest Martyr Antipas, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the Holy Martyr Peter; and on the right: St. Basil the Great, the Venerable St. Sergei of Radonezh and the Venerable Mary of Egypt. The lower border with large cartouche displaying a lengthy dedicatory inscription which reads, "This icon was donated to the Hermitage of Venerable Sebastian Sokhotskiy, in Yaroslavl Province, Poshekon'e District by the Sokhot' River, through the zeal of the Poshekon'e merchant’s son Antipiy Ulyanovich Peremakov and the effort of the St. Petersburg merchant Peter Denisovich Denisov, in the year 1855, 11th day." The corners painted with ornate strapwork and faux cloisonné enameling displaying horizontal shading typical of Peshekhonov icons of this period. Additionally, inscribed beneath the image of the saint, "Painted in St. Petersburg by Vasily Peshekhonov." 17.5 inches x 14.75 inches (44.5 x 37.5 cm).

Price Realized: $125,000.00

AN IMPERIAL RUSSIAN PRESENTATION ICON OF SAINT SAVVA OF STOROZHEVSK, DIKAREV WORKSHOP, CIRCA 1908. At center is depicted a full length image of Savva wearing the Great Skema, sign of his high monastic rank, and delivering a blessing with his right hand. In his left hand, he holds a scroll upon which begins, ”Brothers, the fruits of the spirit are love and joy.” The foreground, vegetation and distant buildings with gilt highlights and shading typical of Dikarev icons. The borders overlaid with a gilded silver-gilt repoussé riza in the Pan Slavic style, apparently unmarked, and the verso with engraved dedicatory plaque which reads, “To Her Imperial Highness, Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, from the Police force of the District of Zvenigorod. April 10, 1908.” The connection to Zvenigorod, of course, is Saint Savva. The highly stylized and condensed inscription identifies him as “Holy Venerable Savva of Storozhevsk, Wonderworker of Zvenigorod.” Set in a custom fitted, silk lined wooden case with retailer’s mark of Fabergé. 10.5 inches x 8.75 inches (27 x 22 cm).

Price Realized: $125,000.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINTS SAMON, GURIY AND AVIV, MSTERA, POSSIBLY ALEXANDER TSEPKOV, CIRCA 1886. Executed within an arched reserve and at top, a finely painted icon of the Smolensk Mother of God held aloft by angels atop highly stylized clouds. Below, three full length images of the patron saints for fidelity and marriage, Samon, Guriy and the Deacon Aviv. The borders painted with the Guardian Angel, the Holy Martyr Claudius, Saint Nicholas and the Holy Righteous Glaphira. The entire icon overlaid with a gilded silver repoussé and chased riza hallmarked Moscow, dated 1886, Cyrillic maker’s mark IG, and 84 silver standard. 12.3 inches x 10.5 inches (31 x 26.5 cm).

Price Realized: $125,000.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT VASILY, THE HOLY FOOL AND MIRACLE WORKER OF MOSCOW, MSTERA, CIRCA 1900. In the upper left corner, Christ delivers a blessing to Basil, who stands outside the Moscow Kremlin walls, the upper border inscribed with a lengthy condensed and abbreviated inscription identifying him as, "The Holy Blessed Vasily, Fool for Christ and Miracle Worker of Moscow." It is this Basil for whom the widely recognized multi-colored swirled top Cathedral in Red Square is named after. The textual basis for "Holy Fools" is I Corinthians 3:18 "Let no man deceive himself. If any among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." 10.5 inches x 8.8 inches (27 x 22.5 cm).

Price Realized: $6,875.00

A FINE RUSSIAN PRESENTATION ICON OF SAINTS KOSMAS AND DAMIAN, IVAN MALYSHEV, 1882. Finely painted on an ornately incised gilt ground with extensive gilt shading as is typical of icons from the Malyshev workshop. Here are depicted Saints Kosmas (left) and Damian (right) below an icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God. The two saints were twin brothers who lived in Asia and were martyred in the 3rd century. The title inscribed above their head includes the distinctive term bezsrebrennik, meaning literally “without silver,” because they accepted no money in payment for their services. They each hold a medicine box, and are invoked for aid in studies. A dedication is inscribed within the cartouche along the lower border which reads, “To Protoyerey of the Transfiguration Temple in the city of Galich, instructor Olegont Ivanovich Rozov, in memory of his 25th anniversary of religious service from former student Georgiy Ivanovich Babushkin on the 1st day of November in the year 1882.” (November 1st is the feast day the two Saints). Also inscribed below the two Saints, although in miniature, is the following: “This icon was painted in the workshop of the artist Malyshev in Sergiy Posad.” On the reverse of this icon is also inscribed, “This image was blessed upon the relics of the Venerable Sergiy of Radonezh.” And additionally, a customized stamp of the artist I. M. Malyshev. 14 inches x 12 inches (36 x 31 cm).

Price Realized: $68,750.00

AN EXQUISITE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE TIKHVIN MOTHER OF GOD, PROBABLY MSTERA, CIRCA 1900. Finely painted in excruciating miniature detail with extensive chrysography, the background, halos and borders ornately incised and painted to simulate cloisonné enameling. 12 inches x 10.25 inches (30.5 x 26 cm).

Price Realized: $12,500.00

A VERY FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE VLADIMIR MOTHER OF GOD, CIRCA 1890. Finely painted with extensive use of chrysography, the halo, background and borders intricately and ornately incised. In an excellent state of preservation, probably the product of a prestigious Moscow workshop. 12.25 inches x 10.1 inches (31 x 26 cm).

Price Realized: $9,375.00

A RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT SERGEI OF RADONEZH, HOLY TRINITY MONASTERY ICON WORKSHOP, DATED 1894. Here Sergei is depicted wearing the Great Skema, delivering a blessing and holding a scroll symbolic of his spiritual wisdom. The background, borders, halo and Tsata rendered in low relief sculpted gilt gesso simulating the metal riza covering of a popular icon of St. Sergei housed in the monastery. The faint inscriptions above each shoulder identify him as "The Holy Venerable Sergei, Wonder Worker of Radonezh." The reverse of the icon displays a hand-written dedicatory inscription that reads, “Blessings from Ekaterina Nikolayevna Nzhelova, maiden name Golovina, to the young boy Sergiy Preobrazhenskiy. September 27, 1894.” 9 inches x 7 inches (22.5 x 18 cm).

Price Realized: $3,500.00

A VERY FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT BASIL, CIRCA 1870, POSSIBLY PESHEKHONOV WORKSHOP. Finely rendered on an incised gilt ground with gilt highlights typical of Peshekhonov icons, and contained in an ornate carved and stained oak shadowbox frame (kiot), in the Byzantine style and possibly after a design by Hippolyte Monighetti. The icon 10.5 inches x 6.2 inches (26.8 x 15.8 cm); overall 22 inches x 14.75 inches (56 x 37.5 cm).

Price Realized: $8,125.00

A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT MICHAEL METROPOLITAN OF KIEV, MOSCOW, CIRCA 1892. At center, a full length image of St. Michael, vested wearing a bishop's omophorion and patriarch's koukoulion holding a book of gospels in his left hand, and with his right hand raised in blessing. The gilded background in arched reserve and ornately incised with repeating cross pattern, the borders intricately decorated in faux cloisonné enameling, the highly stylized landscape with water follows closely the same form as often found on icons from the Moscow workshop of Mstera trained iconographer Mikhail Ivanovich Dikarev. It seems likely that this icon was produced to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the death of St. Michael, who died in Kiev in the year 992. Exquisite. 35.5 inches x 28 inches (90 x 71.2 cm).

Price Realized: $13,750.00

A RUSSIAN ICON OF THE SMOLENSK MOTHER OF GOD, 19TH CENTURY. Executed following the traditional old canons, here the Mother of God gestures toward the infant Christ who delivers a blessing and holds a scroll. The entire icon overlaid with an ornate repoussé and machine engraved gilt copper riza, and contained in an ornate carved wood kiot executed in the Pan Slavic style, possibly the Talashkino Workshop. Overall including kiot 26 inches x 24 inches (66 x 61 cm).

Price Realized: $12,500.00

A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE TIKHVIN MOTHER OF GOD, CIRCA 1890. Finely painted in egg tempera utilizing the cross hatching technique to build up successive layers and executed on an ornately incised gilt ground with turquoise enameling in haloes and the borders decorated with faux champlevé enameling. 28.5 inches x 21 inches (72.4 x 53.3 cm).

Price Realized: $18,750.00

A LARGE AND IMPRESSIVE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, CIRCA 1915 AND LATER. At center within an ornate decorative reserve full length depictions of Saint Peter (left) holding a book of Gospels and the keys to the kingdom as given to him by Christ, and on the right Saint Paul holding an open book of Gospels and the implement of his martyrdom-a sword. The later and expertly repainted gilt borders ornately and heavily incised and painted to simulate enameling executed in the Neo-Russian style. 28 inches x 22.5 inches (71 x 57 cm).

Price Realized: $8,750.00

AN INTERESTING RUSSIAN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, CIRCA 1903. Depicting a three quarter bust profile of the Mother of God realistically rendered on an ornately incised gilt ground with elaborately decorated halo in faux enamel of scrolling foliage and the borders similarly decorated. Verso with original vintage dedicatory inscription, TO THE BORIS & GLEB PAROCHIAL SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF KIEV, IN PRAYERFUL REMEMBRANCE FROM THE PRIORESS OF THE SCHOOL V. GEORGIEVSKAYA 12TH OCTOBER, 1903, and further inscribed in upper left corner "purchased in September of 1894." Size 12.25 x 10.5 inches (31 x 26.5 cm).

Price Realized: $5,000.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF SELECTED SAINTS, MOSCOW, CIRCA 1890. Executed within a triple arched recessed reserve, a gathering of seven saints around an altar and beneath an icon of the Smolensk Mother of God, centered on incised spreading rays. From left to right, they are: Saint John the Forerunner, Saint Nicholas, the Venerable Maria, the Holy Martyr Nadezhda, the Venerable Valentine, the Holy Great Prince and Equal to the Apostles Vladimir and the Apostle Saint Paul. The haloes bordered in turquoise beading, and the borders ornately incised in faux enamel of scrolling florals. The lower margin with rectangular cartouche inscribed with the names of saints in gilt lettering. 14 inches x 12.5 inches (36 x 32 cm).

Price Realized: $2,750.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF SAINT ALEXEI METROPOLITAN OF MOSCOW, CIRCA 1900. Colorfully rendered on an ornately incised gilt field of intertwined scrolling foliage, the borders incised with strapwork. 10.6 inches x 8.8 inches (27 x 22.5 cm).

Price Realized: $2,125.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF CHRIST AS THE LORD ALMIGHTY, CIRCA 1820. Here Christ delivers a blessing with his right hand and with his left hand holds an open book of Gospels to Matthew 11:28, "Come unto ye, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." The borders with family saints, St. John Chrysostum, the Archangel Michael, the Holy Apostle Mark and St. Catherine. Overlaid with a finely crafted silver repoussé and chased riza with attached gilded brilliant halo and enameled title plaques. Hallmarked Moscow, dated 1819, Cyrillic maker's mark Ya M, probably for Jacob Semenov Maslennikov and 84 silver standard. 12 inches x 9.7 inches (30.5 x 25 cm).

Price Realized: $6,000.00

A FINE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE LEAPING INFANT, 18TH CENTURY. Finely painted on a gilt ground, two angels of the Lord look on as the infant Christ playfully leaps in his mother's lap. The lower margin inscribed in Old Church Slavonic, "Depiction of the most honorable image of the Mother of God, the Leaping Infant." Overlaid with a finely crafted silver-gilt repoussé riza and halo, apparently unmarked. In English, the title for this iconographic subject is often rendered as, "The Mother of God of the Playing Child." 13.25 inches x 10.8 inches (33.5 x 27.5 cm).

Price Realized: $37,500.00

THE RUSSIAN ICON OF THE TENDERNESS MOTHER OF GOD, CIRCA 1800.  In this unidentified Mother of God type, the title “Tenderness” (Russian - Umilinie) can be used. The Tenderness title is a generic term used to describe icons that depict Mother and child in a “tender” cheek-to-check embrace. While most icons of the Mother of God are inscribed with a specific title, this one is not. The entire image overlaid with a heavy repoussé and chased gilded silver riza and halo. The riza hallmarked Moscow, dated 1818 and with Cyrillic maker's mark I.F., probably for Ivan Fedorov, a silversmith active in Moscow from 1801 to 1821, and verso with various inscriptions. 12 inches x 10.5 inches (30.5 x 26.6 cm).

Price Realized: $18,750.00