London: A bronze cast from Joseph Stalin's
death mask, one of only 12 made after the Soviet dictator's death in 1953, was sold in Britain Wednesday for GBP 4,400 (USD 6,860), the auction house said.
The mask and accompanying bronze casts of Stalin's hands
-- the left one withered -- had been estimated to sell at Between GBP3,000 and GBP5,000. The final price of GBP4,400 includes the buyer's premium, Mullock's auctioneers said.
"It's an interesting and unusual item. There were lots of
telephone bids and Internet interest," said Richard
Westwood-Brookes, historical documents expert at Mullock's,
adding that it went to a private telephone bidder in Britain.
Originally brought to the West by art dealer James Birch,
who purchased it in Moscow in 1990, the bronze death mask
shows Stalin's hair swept back from his forehead and clearly
outlines his famous moustache.
Ten of the bronzes made after the dictator's death are
thought to be in Russia, with the 11th held in a private
collection in London following its sale at Sotheby's auction
house in the early 1990s, Westwood-Brookes said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 09:56