NEW YORK.- Russian Art triumphed today at Sotheby's, with the total for the inaugural combined sale of fine and applied works of art in New York reaching $35,167,720 against a pre-sale estimate of $15.6/22.2 million*, the highest total ever for a sale of Russian Art worldwide. There were multiple bids from the packed saleroom and the telephones for nearly every lot offered, and interest came from collectors from around the world for works of great importance and rarity. Among the many highlights of today's sale were a Magnificent Pair of Russian Porcelain Palace Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg, from the Period of Nicholas I and Dated 1825 that sold for a record $3,936,000, more than five times the high estimate, and a rediscovered masterpiece by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, Judgment of Paris, from the collection of the Pabst Brewing Company, which sold for a record-breaking $2,088,000 (est. $750,000/1.1 million). Seven works sold for more than $1 million and the sale was 83.7% sold by lot and 92.5% sold by amount.

Sonya Bekkerman and Gerard Hill, Sotheby's experts in Russian Paintings, Fabergé and Works of Art, said, "This venture of combining sales of paintings and works of art and developing the Russian market in New York shows the overall strength and widespread International demand for great Russian works of art. The results of today's sale reveal that collectors seek quality and rarity in every category, whether it's painting, porcelain, Fabergé or works of art. These factors have led to the most successful Russian sale to date worldwide."

No fewer than four bidders competed this morning for a Magnificent Pair of Russian Porcelain Palace Vases, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg, from the Period of Nicholas I and Dated 1825 driving the final price to $3,936,000, far above the pre-sale estimate of $500/800,000, and a record for Russian Porcelain at auction. These exquisite examples are each painted with an Italianate landscape and are among the earliest made during the reign of Nicholas I. They exemplify the outstanding production of artists employed at the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory at this period.

The top selling painting in today's sale was a rediscovered masterpiece by Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky, Judgment of Paris (1839-1915), from the collection of the Pabst Brewing Company. Estimated to bring $750,000/1.1 million, the monumental canvas was the subject of an intense battle between two bidders on the telephone, finally selling to an American buyer for $2,088,000, a record for the artist at auction.

Today's sale also featured four Important Fabergé Hardstone Figures from the Charles R. Wood Foundation with the Figure of a Boyar, circa 1910 bringing the top price of $1,808,000 (est. $600/800,000), a record for a Fabergé hardstone figure at auction. The Figure of a Policeman, circa 1910 went for $1,584,000 (est. $500/700,000), the Figure of a Ukranian Peasant, circa 1909 brought $1,068,800 (est. $400/600,000), and the Figure of an Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards by Workmaster Henrik Wigstrom, 1908-1917 sold for $856,000 (est. $400/600,000). Fabergé was thought to have only made about 60 of these charming figures, and the prices achieved this morning clearly demonstrated a very enthusiastic response from the market.

The bidding was frenzied for the cover lot of today's sale, Boris Dmitrievich Grigoriev's Sailors at a Café. As many as six different bidders competed for the striking canvas, driving the final price to $1,584,000, more than five times the high estimate of $300,000, and a record for the artist at auction. Additional highlights included a regal Portrait of Vera Fokine by Zinaida Evgenievna Serebriakova, which came to auction directly from the Fokine family; and She Who Leads by Nicholas Roerich, both of which sold for $688,000 against pre-sale estimates of $200/300,000.

Other examples of Imperial Porcelain did exceedingly well today as evidenced by five Russian Military Plates, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg, Period of Nicholas I that drew competitive bidding and were purchased by the same collector who was bidding over the telephone. Two sold for $90,000 a piece, and the three from the Charles Pankow Collection each brought $102,000 (est. $40/60,000 each).

Also from the Charles Pankow Collection came the Grand Duke Constantin Nicholaevich's Highly Important and Rare Russian Gilded Silver Extensive Tea and Coffee Service, Sazikov, Moscow, 1848. Approximately eight bidders competed for the service, finally selling to a bidder on the telephone for $1,808,000, well beyond the pre-sale estimate of $200/300,000, and a record for a Russian Silver Tea Service at auction.