A newly discovered Scandinavian art collection unearthed in a Stockholm loft after 50 years was just one of the attractions at Danish auction house Bruun Rasmussen’s summer sales, which are under way through Friday.Sales earlier this week included a unique picture book by Hans Christian Andersen, which was sold for DKK 2.9 Million (ca. $ 440,000) as one of the greatest highlights, alongside top lots such as a collage by Robert Rauschenberg, which sold for DKK 1.16 Million (ca. $169,000), and a rare bracelet by Harry Winston from 1965 for DKK 510,000 (ca. $175,000), as well as Danish Art Deco Furniture by Orla Høyer from 1941, which was sold for DKK 420,000 (ca.$63,300) — including a daybed, a pair of sideboards, a chest of drawers, and a display cabinet.Crowing the week on Friday is the sale dedicated entirely to Russian Art, announced as the largest auction for Russian Art ever to be held in Scandinavia. One of the greatest attractions is the Russian collection of Norwegian commercial attaché Richard Zeiner-Henriksen from the early 1900s, among the 90 lots are valuable Russian icons, royal portraits, and antique furniture. Particularly Zeiner-Henriksen’s collection of icons from the 16th and 17th century, of which some specimens can be found in institutions such as the Louvre in Paris or the National Museum in Oslo today, is considered an auction highlight, as are furniture and artifacts from the storied St Petersburg’s Saltykov Palace, which became the family’s home during their stay in Russia after the Revolution in the early 1920s.BLOUIN ARTINFO reached out to Bruun Rasmussen’s Director of Valuation and Sales, Kasper Nielsen, to talk about trends and highlights so far.See a summary of the top results so far below You have had numerous illustrious offerings in this year’s summer auctions, including a Scandinavian collection discovered in a loft after 50 years. What have the highlights been so far?We have already offered a wide selection of works of art made by Danish and International artists. The private art collection from Stockholm included a number of works with surprising hammer prices, among others two works by the American artist Gary Kuehn, which fetched DKK 125,000 (ca. $ 18,850) compared with the estimate of DKK 15,000. A painting by Chinese artist Hsiang-Ning Han from the same collection reached a hammer price of DKK 125,000 (ca. $ 18,850). However, the top lot of the Modern Art auction was a collage from the “Runts” series (2007) by Robert Rauschenberg, which was auctioned off at DKK 1,16 Million. It was the first time that we sold an original work by this artist. A painting by David Salle, “Spanish Woman” (2007), was sold for DKK 330,000 (ca. $ 49,700) and a sculpture by Kenneth Armitage, “Two Seated Figures” (1957), reached a hammer price of DKK 430,000 (ca. $ 65,000).Was there any particular trends you were able to observe so far?We continue to observe a strong trend for lots in extraordinarily high quality — especially Nordic Design and Modern Art, but we also experience a high demand for Danish Golden Age painting (1800-1850) and Nordic Impressionism and Symbolism (1890-1910). At this auction, a unique picture book from 1868-69 by world-famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen surprised with a hammer price of DKK 2.9 Million (ca. $ 440,000). When the quality is high there is always a strong demand among our national and international customers. We also expect high demand at the auction of Russian Art and Antiques.What other highlights next to the Zeiner-Henriksen collection are featured? The auction also includes items from other private Russian collections, some of which have royal provenances. This includes four shirt buttons made by the jeweler Friedrich Koechli, which the Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna of Russia gave to her nephew Prince Harald of Denmark. The Tsaritsa was the daughter of the Danish royal couple Christian IX and Queen Louise. The Tsaritsa herself was married to Tsar Alexander III of Russia. She came to play a very important part in the Danish-Russian connections, for instance through her support of Danish businesses.Top ResultsRobert Rauschenberg: “Harvest“ (Runts), 2007. Signed Rauschenberg 2Kx7. Mixed media, pigment transfer on polylaminate. 150 x 183 cm. Estimate: DKK 1.2-1.5 Million. Hammer price: DKK 1.16 MillionGary Kuehn: Untitled (Spiral). Unsigned. Oil on canvas. 61 x 152 cm. Unframed. Estimate: DKK 15,000. Hammer price: DKK 125,000Gary Kuehn: Untitled. Unsigned. Oil on canvas in four parts. Diam. 122 cm. Unframed. Estimate: DKK 15,000. Hammer price: DKK 100,000Hsiang-Ning Han: “Corcoran”, 1972. Signed and dated on the reverse. Oil on canvas. 138 x 229 cm. Estimate: DKK 150,000. Hammer price: DKK 125,000David Salle: “Spanish Woman”, 2007. Signed, titled and dated on the reverse. Oil on canvas. 165 x 122 cm. Hammer price: DKK 330,000Kenneth Armitage: “Two Seated Figures”. Signed KA, 6/6 1957. Bronze. H. 32 cm. B. 43 cm. D. 31 cm. Hammer price: DKK 430,000 Read more