Bronze cast of Stalin's death mask auctioned for £3,600January 24, 2012 - 20:48 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A rare cast of the death mask of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin has been sold to an anonymous bidder for £3,600 at an auction in Shropshire, BBC News reported. The cast was taken in bronze from the original plaster death mask by an art dealer who was visiting Moscow in 1990. Richard Westwood-Brookes, from Church Stretton-based auction house Mullock's, said: "There are, we believe, only two of these in the West." The lot included casts of Stalin's right hand and his withered left hand. Mr Westwood-Brookes said that in official portraits the Soviet dictator always hid this physical deformity. He said: "The casts that we have here show that his hand was a little withered thing, so you are seeing Stalin as he really was." The guide price for the death mask of Stalin, who died in 1953, had been between £3,000 and £5,000. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | International cybercrime ringleaders arrested in Armenia, Ukraine Europol, Europe's crime agency, has arrested four ringleaders of several cybercrime networks that used botnets. Armenia skips CSTO Defense Ministers meeting A meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization countries began in Almaty. Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenia, U.S. customs authorities to boost assistance with new deal The government has approved an agreement with the U.S. government on mutual assistance between the customs authorities. |