The light glistened off the gold overlay on the rows of icons on a shelf at the auction house on Sunday. There appeared to be tons of these works of art: small frame-size ones leaning against the wall and on trays. Folded icons standing on trays on a lower shelf.
The religious icons had belonged to a family with deep Russian roots. The mother and daughter traveled all over Europe, one of the auctioneers mentioned, and brought back many treasures, including a beautiful collection of black lacquered boxes.
Most of the items at auction came from the estate of a Philadelphia artist, musician, teacher and illustrator named Nadine Karnow, who died last July. She had performed with the Philadelphia Balalaika Orchestra in the 1950s and 1960s. It is now known as the Kauriga Balalaika Orchestra, renamed for Paul Kauriga Sr., who formed it in 1930s.
Throughout the auction house were signs of Karnow: sculptures lining the shelves up front; oil paintings and watercolors on a rack in back; balalaikas, domras and other musical instruments laid out in another room. In the tray-lot room, I came across other pieces of her artistic output.
Most of the items at auction were hers, but some pieces also belonged to her mother and father. They were a creative and artistic family who apparently enjoyed collecting. I’ll write about the other collections this week.
I had never heard of Karnow and found very little about her via Google, but her array of work at the auction house showed that she was prolific. She apparently found time for all the interests that she loved.
I don’t know much about icons, but I was impressed with the number and breadth of these works, which may not have been a collection but part of their worship. I was drawn to them because they were beautiful. There was a quiet simplicity about them, and the gold overlay just about sparkled.
Russian icons date back to the 17th century, when the makers became influenced by Protestant and Catholic Europe, according to Wikipedia. They are normally painted on wood, and often small. “There is a rich history and elaborate religious symbolism associated with icons,” according to Wikipedia, which also offers information on icons in general.
The website Byzantine Icon Art described icons as the “visual Gospel,” a link between the worshiper and God.
In the confines of the auction house – and on some websites I checked, icons were also a source of commerce. I have no idea how old these were, but I can assume that since they ended up here, they were not antiques (maybe vintage).
They were sold at what I thought were reasonable prices: A pair of silver overlay icons sold for $70. Several went for $7 and up to $27. A tray of about four to six folding travel icons sold for $40. This was a good place to purchase them to build your own wall or space for worship in your home.
To see more icons, visit this Museum of Russian Icons. Founded in 2006, the site says that it has 400 icons and bills itself as the largest private collection outside Russia.
Note: I’d like to take a moment to pay homage to an icon of a different nature: Today, we’re celebrating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I’m sure Dr. King would not elevate himself to the ranks of the religious icons at Sunday’s auction, but to many of us in this country he is a man to be revered.
Also, don’t forget to check out Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb’s faith blog “Soul Rhythms.”
