[MSN] Christie's International has removed two lots from its Nov. 29 London auction of Russian books and manuscripts after a cultural watchdog agency said they were stolen from the Russian State Military Archives in Moscow.

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Christie's Pulls Letters From Sale After Theft Claims 

By John Varoli

Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Christie's International has removed two lots from its Nov. 29 London auction of Russian books and manuscripts after a cultural watchdog agency said they were stolen from the Russian State Military Archives in Moscow. 

Christie's said one of the lots contains about 40 letters belonging to Marshall Georgi Zhukov, the Soviet Union's top military commander during World War II, and each bearing his signature. The letters had a top estimate of 8,000 pounds ($16,450). 

Prices for Russian art, books, manuscripts and historical memorabilia have risen rapidly since 2000, and this has been accompanied by an increase in thefts from Russian museums and archives. In August 2006, the Hermitage disclosed that 226 Russian works of art had been stolen by staff over the previous decade. 

``Christie's will not sell any work of art that we know or have reason to believe does not have good title,'' Christie's said in a press statement. ``In regard to the items in question, Christie's is cooperating fully with Russian authorities.'' 

Yevgeny Strelchik, an official at the Federal Agency for Mass Media and Cultural Heritage Protection, also known by its Russian name, RosokhranKultura, told Interfax news agency today that ``we suspect these documents were stolen,'' and that an official letter was sent to Christie's asking it to remove the lots in question from the auction. 

In June 2006, RosokhranKultura asked Christie's to cancel the sale of nine works on paper by Iakov Chernikhov, a Russian avant-garde architect and graphic designer, after it proved they were stolen from the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art in Moscow. 

The drawings were sold in five lots at Christie's London sale of Impressionist and Modern works on paper, and went for a total of 33,000 pounds on a total top estimate of 40,000 pounds. The works were recognized by Andrey Chernikhov, grandson of the architect and director of the Iakov Chernikhov International Foundation in Moscow, who then filed a protest with the Russian government. 

Christie's and Sotheby's have major contemporary-art auctions in New York this week, following a disappointing Sotheby's sale of modern art last week. 

To contact the reporter on this story: John Varoli at jvaroli at gmail.com 

Last Updated: November 12, 2007 17:08 EST 

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