Bonhams took another major step this week to providing an even better service to buyers and sellers of Russian art – after opening an office in Moscow, the company has appointed Evgenia Teslyuk to head the Russian Department in London.

Speaking about the opportunities she says: ‘I am delighted to be leading Bonhams growing Russian Department and promoting the twice-annual London Russian sales, but also acting as a bridge between the many Russian collectors and Bonhams’ specialist auctions worldwide.”

Evgenia Teslyuk, who has been at Christie’s and other organizations dealing in Russian art, has been London-based for the last 10 years. She speaks Russian, Ukrainian, and English having studied at University College London, Central European University in Budapest and the National University of Kiev-Mohyla Academy in Kiev.

She will concentrate on sourcing pictures for the Russian sales together with Sophie Hamilton and Cynthia Sparke of the Russian Department. The combination of a Bonhams presence in London, Moscow and New York gives the company a strong position and team in this fast-growing market.

Since its inaugural Russian Sale in November 2005, Bonhams’ Russian department has gone from strength to strength, securing top prices for exceptional pieces. Particular highlights include £610,400 for Alexei Alexeevich Harlamoff’s ‘The Little Seamstress’ in 2006 (at the time, a world record price); £397,600 for a painting by Konstantin Alexeevich Korovin against its estimate of £250,000; and ‘A Beached Ship’ by Ivan Konstantinovich Aivazovsky sold for £173,000. Works of Art, too, continue to command high bidding at Bonhams; a Fabergé silver mounted cut-glass centrepiece sold for £128,000 and a small silver and enamel matchbox fetched £45,600.

Bonhams’ next Russian sale is scheduled for 26 November 2007 and will feature works by major Russian 19th and 20th Century artists and objets d’art including Faberge and porcelain from both the Imperial and Soviet eras.

DUBAI – RUSSIA LINK

Bonhams will also connect with the expatriate Russian community which is very well represented in Dubai. Bonhams has recently announced the opening of an office in Dubai in partnership with the Al-Tajir family. A first Bonhams sale will take place in Dubai this November at a date and venue to be announced.

Bonhams Dubai will be a joint venture with the Al Tajir family. His Excellency, Mohammed Mahdi Al Tajir, was the former United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Great Britain and Western Europe and is currently an advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates. He is a prominent collector across a wide variety of the arts.

Posted: 06|21|07 at 9:56 am. Filed under: Press Release.