Moscow cannot compete with Western collectors, nor does it have a critical elite that can sustain the movement in its period of transition.

As part of his training, he learned to draw talismans, which soon became much sought-after among Western collectors.

"I told him you were a Western collector, an expert with great knowledge," Artem whispered.

He added that offers from Western collectors and museums still regularly cross his desk.

"The Western collectors continue to be as guilty as those who do this."

The birds have also been of considerable interest to Western collectors, ornithologists and writers.

Major artifacts were removed by Western collectors and souvenir hunters during the early 20th century.

Officials at Sotheby's linked the sale to increased interest in Soviet art among Western collectors.

The sale will include the work of more than 20 living artists, several of whom are known to Western collectors.

The company's artworks became popular again in the 1960s with Western collectors, led by Malcolm Forbes.