Icons
Christie's has a long tradition of selling Icons and Works of Art from the Orthodox World. As early as 1886, Christie's sold to the Victoria and Albert Museum the celebrated Beresford Hope Cross, one of the most important objects produced during the Byzantine Iconoclasm. Auctions of magnificent collections, such as those of George R. Hann (1980) and a private Greek collector (1995), have set record prices only recently surpassed by the sale of an outstanding icon of St. Nicholas which was the property of the Tsar Nicholas II (sold at Christie’s London, 11 June 2007 for £434,400). In 2007 the Icons sales totaled in excess of £7 million thus underscoring Christie's position as leader of the international icons market.
We offer a variety of icons and artefacts used in the Orthodox Christian cult, both publicly and privately. Experienced and new collectors alike will find highly desirable objects dating from the 6th to the 20th century: icons in a variety of materials and sizes, portable objects used for personal devotion, ecclesiastical art, vestment accessories, Easter eggs as well as Palaeochristian works of art. Estimates range from £300 to over £250,000.
Upcoming Sales from this department
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Nov 2008 24 2pm
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Nov 2008 27 2pm
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Dec 2008 16 10am & 2pm
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Jun 2009 8 2pm
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Nov 2009 30 2pm
Department Contact Info
Specialist Profiles
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London, South Kensington
Maria C. PaphitiSpecialist
London, South Kensington Contacts
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Danielle Herbert
General Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)20 7752 3102
Fax: +44 (0)20 7752 3186 -
General Inquiries
Tel: +44 (0)20 7752 3368
Fax: +44 (0)20 7752 3186
Exceptional Prices
Saint Nicholas the Miracle-Worker of Myra
The icon painted by Mikhail Dikariov, the oklad marked by Jakov Fedorovitch Mishukov
Moscow, 1894
Price realized: £434,400
World auction record for an icon
June 2007, London, King Street
The icon painted by Mikhail Dikariov, the oklad marked by Jakov Fedorovitch Mishukov
Moscow, 1894
Price realized: £434,400
World auction record for an icon
June 2007, London, King Street
Sts. Nicholas, John the Forerunner, Andrew and George in Supplication to the Mother of God
Crete, circa 1500
Price realized: £337,250
9 June 2008, London, King Street
Crete, circa 1500
Price realized: £337,250
9 June 2008, London, King Street
The Old Testament Trinity
Byzantine (Constantinople), 14th century
Price realized: £186,000
June 2007, London, King Street
Byzantine (Constantinople), 14th century
Price realized: £186,000
June 2007, London, King Street
An unusual variation of the Mother of God 'of the Sweet Kiss'
Crete, c. 1500
Price realized: £132,000
June 2007, London, King Street
Crete, c. 1500
Price realized: £132,000
June 2007, London, King Street
A monumental icon for the Liturgical week with Holy Bishops and Monks
Russian, c.1600
Price realized: £102,500
November 2007, London, King Street
Russian, c.1600
Price realized: £102,500
November 2007, London, King Street
The Transfiguration of Christ
Dated: May 1883, the oklad and presentation plate made by Ivan Fedorov Andreev, 1883-1896
This icon was commissioned by the Archbishop of Mount Tabor Nicodemos, on May 1883 especially for coronation of the Tsar Alexander III and the Empress Maria Feodorovna. The panel includes an actual piece of rock from Mount Tabor.
Price realized: £216,500
November 2007, London, King Street
Dated: May 1883, the oklad and presentation plate made by Ivan Fedorov Andreev, 1883-1896
This icon was commissioned by the Archbishop of Mount Tabor Nicodemos, on May 1883 especially for coronation of the Tsar Alexander III and the Empress Maria Feodorovna. The panel includes an actual piece of rock from Mount Tabor.
Price realized: £216,500
November 2007, London, King Street
A gold pectoral cross
Byzantine (probably Constantinopolitan), 5th-7th century
Price realized: £48,500
November 2007, London, King Street
Byzantine (probably Constantinopolitan), 5th-7th century
Price realized: £48,500
November 2007, London, King Street
A rare representation of Christ and John the Baptist playing at the rier Jordan
Greek, (Ionian Islands), attributed to Theodoros Poulakis, first half of the 17th century
Price realized: £84,500
26 November 2007, London, King Street
Greek, (Ionian Islands), attributed to Theodoros Poulakis, first half of the 17th century
Price realized: £84,500
26 November 2007, London, King Street
The Mother of God 'Hope and Shelter of the Christians' and Christ Pantokrator
Painted by Sylvestros the Patriarch of Antioch Melchite, 1727
Price realized: £66,000 and £54,000
June 2007, London, King Street
Painted by Sylvestros the Patriarch of Antioch Melchite, 1727
Price realized: £66,000 and £54,000
June 2007, London, King Street
A presentation silver-gilt and enamel triptych,
showing the Mandylion and Saints Sergei and Nicholas
Russia, 1904
Price realized: £36,000
November 2006, London, South Kensington
Russia, 1904
Price realized: £36,000
November 2006, London, South Kensington
A unique casket, probably a container of the Holy Myrhh
Greece (Northwest), c.1700
Price realized: £22,800
November 2006, London, South Kensington
Greece (Northwest), c.1700
Price realized: £22,800
November 2006, London, South Kensington
A carved wooden icon of the Presentation of the Mother of God to the Temple surrounded by Old Testament episodes
Carved by the Monk Kosmas from the Holy Mountain
Greece (Mount Athos), 1889
Price realized: £78,000
June 2007, London, King Street
Carved by the Monk Kosmas from the Holy Mountain
Greece (Mount Athos), 1889
Price realized: £78,000
June 2007, London, King Street
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