Auctions: Sale or return to Russia

IF YOU must buy the work of unknowns, look at the contemporary Russian paintings liquidated from Red Square Fine Art and offered without reserve at Bonham's Monday (11am). Some of the artists, such as I M Orlov and A Sobolev, are so unknown that they lack a definitive first name. One, Anselmo, who painted Scarlet Woman, is without even an initial.

These paintings are typical of those exported in tens of thousands from Russia after Sotheby's spectacular Moscow sale in 1988 and equipped with fearsome price tags on the fragile front line of the Russian art boom.

Some dealers bought contemporary paintings by the hundred in sale-or-return job lots from government commissars. Now that the wave of popularity is in retreat the remnants of such virtual unknowns are strewing the market.

Vladimir Asriev, Red Square Fine Art's founder, hoped to educate his clientele to appreciate his taste in Russian paintings - a few Impressionistic (the genre that led the Russian boom), but mostly modern/contemporary, abstract, realist or mystical. But there is a world of difference between the markets for modern/contemporary and for pre-revolutionary Russian art. The latter, though down in price, is still sought by a solid base of collectors. A pair of sentimental paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky (d1900), of an ox plough and a horse caravan, topped a sale at Sotheby's last month at pounds 33,000.

A few hundred pounds will secure the cheapest unknowns at Bonham's. London's surviving dealers in Russian art are sticking to landscapes and children. So should you.

SNIPS

The fag-end of the season is always a good time for bargains. Phillips Tuesday (11am) has estimates for old English furniture that compare well with anything factory-fresh in the high street. Other minor, but worthy, sales: Phillips Tuesday for jewellery (1.30pm). At Christie's South Kensington: costume and textiles Tuesday (2pm), cameras and optical toys Thursday (10.30am).

COUNTRYWIDE

Bath: Phillips biggest-ever sale of Doulton stoneware, 1,000 pieces, Monday (11am) - and not today as incorrectly stated last week. Viewing today (9am-1pm).

Rushden, Northamptonshire: contents of the workshops of a carpenter, wood turner and model engineer. No reserve. Next Saturday. R & R Auctions, Unit 1, Manton Road (0933 316812).

Bristol: collectors' sale, Thursday (noon). Taviners, Prewett Street, Redcliffe (0272 265996).

Sheffield: Friday (10.15am): police sale of lost/stolen/strayed. Eadon, Lockwood & Riddle, Peter Street (0742 619518).

Alford, Lincolnshire: array of furniture, garden ornaments, stamps, Elvis LPs, Thursday (10am). Dickinson, Davy and Markham, The New Saleroom (0507 607781).

There are a number of good end-of-season general antiques and fine art sales. Haslemere, Surrey: Thursday (11am), Fernhurst Village Hall, on A286 Midhurst Road. John Nicholson (0428 653727).

Oxford: Wednesday (11am). Mallams, Bocardo House, St Michael's Street (0865 241358).

Southport, Merseyside: Wednesday (10am). Cobern, The Grosvenor Salerooms, 93b Eastbank Street (0704 500515).

Salisbury: Thursday (10am). Woolley & Wallis, Castle Street (0722 411422).

Crewkerne, Somerset: Thursday (11am). (Also Wednesday afternoon, dolls.) Lawrence, South Street (0460 73041).

Taunton: Thursday (10.30am). Contents of three local estates. Greenslade Hunt, Magdalene House, Church Square (0823 332525).

Nottingham: Thursday and Friday (10.30am). Neales, 92-4 Mansfield Road (0602 624141).

Leeds: Georgian and Victorian furniture, clocks, barometers. Wednesday (11am). Phillips Leeds (0532 448011).

Information on countrywide auctions from 'Antiques Trade Gazette' (071-930 4957), 'Government Auction News' (071- 734 8291), 'Saleroom and Auction Monthly' (081-336 0393).