Katya Kazakina ducked into Sotheby’s Russian sale yesterday and discovered some furious bidding:

A Soviet realist painting depicting two female workers raising a red flag over Moscow fetched $1.5 million at Sotheby’s in New York today. Painted in 1950 by Yuri Pimenov, the optimistic 8.4-foot- tall canvas “First of May Celebration” led the $14.4 million sale. […]

Aleksey Kravchenko’s canvas “Indian Fairytale,” created in the 1920s and inspired by a trip to India and Sri Lanka, fetched $1.48 million, nearly reaching its presale high estimate. Prices include a buyer’s commission.

A group of red-robed lamas depicted on paper by Alexandre Iacovleff in 1932 sold for $782,500. That set an auction record for the artist, who made frequent expeditions in Asia and Africa

Drinking Cup for $500,000, Faberge Wedding Boost Sotheby’s Russian Sale (Bloomberg)