Fair Trading

MOSCOW—The Moscow World Fine Art Fair, a showcase for everything from medieval sculpture and 18th-century furniture to contemporary art and estate jewelry, premiered in 2004 as a noncommercial cultural happening at the Russian Academy of the Arts. Then, in 2005, the event—newly open to deal making—moved to the swank Manège exhibition center and upgraded its jewelry offerings to rival any the world over. Eighteen jewelers were granted as much space—albeit in a basement—as the 50 art and antiques dealers on the floor above. The fair’s latest edition, to be held May 27 through June 2, adds two big names to its already glittering lineup—Harry Winston, and Wallace Chan of Hong Kong. Fellow participants include New York’s Jane Kahan Gallery and Steinitz of Paris, whose booth is lined with Louis XV oak paneling and features a Russian gilt-bronze chandelier (€280,000; $432,000) similar to the one commissioned by Czar Nicholas II for the Pavlovsk Palace. Another notable feature of this year’s show is the increased presence of Russian dealers. Back in 2004 there were none. Now there are 30. Moscow’s Maricevic Fine Art & Antiques is bringing work by Stephan Kolesnikov (1879–1955)—a favorite of Nicholas II—priced from €20,000 to more than €150,000 ($32–237,000). And fellow Moscow galleries Bogema, Proun and Tri Veka make their debuts. More controversially, a bevy of auction firms have booths: Bukowskis (Stockholm), Dorotheum (Vienna), Hôtel Drouot (Paris) and Sotheby’s, along with local firm SovCom. “You cannot deny the synergy between dealers and the houses,” contends the fair’s boss Yves Bouvier.

"Fair Trading" originally appeared in the May 2008 issue of Art+Auction. For a complete list of articles from this issue available on ARTINFO, see Art+Auction's May 2008 Table of Contents.