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Object of Virtue
A dazzling debut about the power of family and the pain of betrayal set within Manhattan's Fifth Avenue apartments, the opulent mansions of the new Moscow, and the pre-revolutionary palaces of Saint Petersburg.
Sasha Ozerovsky is a young expert in Russian art at Leighton's, an exclusive Manhattan auction house. When a dealer arrives from Moscow with an exquisite 1913 Fabergé figurine, Sasha immediately recognizes a rare masterpiece. But in the high stakes art world, the price of an object is tied to its history. If Sasha can determine for whom the bejeweled piece was made and where it has been hiding for the past century, its value -- and Sasha's career -- will soar.
But as Sasha moves between New York's high society and Russia's new rich, he discovers that the piece once belonged to his family, and he must face questions about their past that he never dared to ask.
Superbly plotted and evoking the elegance of Russia's gilded age, Object of Virtue is an enthralling tale that explores what happens to a family torn between vanity and virtue.
Sasha Ozerovsky is a young expert in Russian art at Leighton's, an exclusive Manhattan auction house. When a dealer arrives from Moscow with an exquisite 1913 Fabergé figurine, Sasha immediately recognizes a rare masterpiece. But in the high stakes art world, the price of an object is tied to its history. If Sasha can determine for whom the bejeweled piece was made and where it has been hiding for the past century, its value -- and Sasha's career -- will soar.
But as Sasha moves between New York's high society and Russia's new rich, he discovers that the piece once belonged to his family, and he must face questions about their past that he never dared to ask.
Superbly plotted and evoking the elegance of Russia's gilded age, Object of Virtue is an enthralling tale that explores what happens to a family torn between vanity and virtue.
284 pages, Paperback
First published April 6, 2004
About the author
Nicholas B.A. Nicholson
6 books16 followersNicholas B.A. Nicholson was born in New York and first visited the Soviet Union in the 1980’s. Informed by his time there, he developed an interest in Russian Fine and Decorative Art which led him to study Art History and Russian Area Studies at Kenyon College, from which he was graduated in 1991. Nicholson worked first for Karl Kemp, a premier dealer in continental furniture and decorative arts, before joining the staff of Christie's in 1993. Nicholson joined the Continental Furniture and Decorative Arts department as a Graduate Trainee, and was involved in the cataloguing and sale of the property of Alice Tully, Bernheimer & Co., and Rudolf Nureyev among others.
Nicholson took over the New York Russian Department as Specialist in 1994 and sold important property from the estates of Landsell Christie, Jane Englehardt, and Frank Sinatra, as well as participating in the landmark sale of the Faberge Imperial 25th Anniversary Clock, which at the time set records for Works of Art by Faberge, Clocks, and Silver.
Nicholson left Christie's in 1997, and became the American Curator of "Jewels of the Romanovs; Treasures from the Russian Imperial Court" an exhibition of works from five Russian lending institutions, including a selection of the Imperial Crown Jewels from the State Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation. The exhibition toured the US for two years, during which time Nicholson became a popular lecturer on Russian topics. In 1999, Nicholson joined the staff of circline.com, an online art location and advisory service, leaving in 2002 to open his own company.
Since 2002, Nicholson has done appraisal and advisory for individuals and institutions, arranging for sales of Russian Works of Art, as well as Continental furniture, porcelain, silver, and jewelry. While Nicholson is considered an expert on decorative objects from the "almaznii vek" or the Russian "Diamond Age" (1780-1810), his interests and expertise are broad and cover such diverse areas as Tiffany silver and 20th century jewelry; he is also a published novelist and translator.
Nicholson took over the New York Russian Department as Specialist in 1994 and sold important property from the estates of Landsell Christie, Jane Englehardt, and Frank Sinatra, as well as participating in the landmark sale of the Faberge Imperial 25th Anniversary Clock, which at the time set records for Works of Art by Faberge, Clocks, and Silver.
Nicholson left Christie's in 1997, and became the American Curator of "Jewels of the Romanovs; Treasures from the Russian Imperial Court" an exhibition of works from five Russian lending institutions, including a selection of the Imperial Crown Jewels from the State Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation. The exhibition toured the US for two years, during which time Nicholson became a popular lecturer on Russian topics. In 1999, Nicholson joined the staff of circline.com, an online art location and advisory service, leaving in 2002 to open his own company.
Since 2002, Nicholson has done appraisal and advisory for individuals and institutions, arranging for sales of Russian Works of Art, as well as Continental furniture, porcelain, silver, and jewelry. While Nicholson is considered an expert on decorative objects from the "almaznii vek" or the Russian "Diamond Age" (1780-1810), his interests and expertise are broad and cover such diverse areas as Tiffany silver and 20th century jewelry; he is also a published novelist and translator.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 17, 2015
Faberge. The name alone conjures up images of beautiful jewelry and objects. But what if a lost Faberge treasure were to appear? What would that mean about it's past, and how would its appearance affect the lives of those involved. These are the questions at the heart of this wonderful novel.
Part mystery, part historical fiction, part modern day story, this is one of the best, and most multilayered novels about Russia I have had the pleasure to read. Sasha is a Russian art expert at auction house Leighton's. When a supposedly lost figurine by Faberge resurfaces, it throws his life into turmoil. Through flashbacks into not only his family, but the House of Faberge's past, the life of the figurine is slowly revealed. In the present day we follow Sasha on the trail of his detective work about the figurine. Along the way, his family, friends and colleagues are all affected in various ways.
This novel unfolds slowly, layer by layer. You discover both history, and secrets at a languid pace. That, I think, is one of the fantastic things about this book. It is only a few hundred pages, but the pace is not hurried. You learn a lot about Faberge and Russian history.
The host of supporting characters are magnificent. From collectors, members of famous Russian families like the Romanov's, Sasha's work colleagues and his family, they are a diverse group, each with distinct personalities. Sasha's cousin Victoria was one of my favorite characters. Smart, witty, funny and tough she is written in such a wonderful way.
A fantastic tale of generations, secrets and history.
Part mystery, part historical fiction, part modern day story, this is one of the best, and most multilayered novels about Russia I have had the pleasure to read. Sasha is a Russian art expert at auction house Leighton's. When a supposedly lost figurine by Faberge resurfaces, it throws his life into turmoil. Through flashbacks into not only his family, but the House of Faberge's past, the life of the figurine is slowly revealed. In the present day we follow Sasha on the trail of his detective work about the figurine. Along the way, his family, friends and colleagues are all affected in various ways.
This novel unfolds slowly, layer by layer. You discover both history, and secrets at a languid pace. That, I think, is one of the fantastic things about this book. It is only a few hundred pages, but the pace is not hurried. You learn a lot about Faberge and Russian history.
The host of supporting characters are magnificent. From collectors, members of famous Russian families like the Romanov's, Sasha's work colleagues and his family, they are a diverse group, each with distinct personalities. Sasha's cousin Victoria was one of my favorite characters. Smart, witty, funny and tough she is written in such a wonderful way.
A fantastic tale of generations, secrets and history.
January 22, 2021
Fun and fabulous!
December 15, 2020
An informative art history mystery. Enjoyed!
January 8, 2014
Lovers of historical fiction and fine art will thoroughly enjoy this book as it details the world of the Russian Romanovs and the House of Faberge.
February 2, 2020
Such a fun read... art, suspense, lavish lifestyles, dancing, gowns... sigh. A great escape.
February 9, 2023
I wouldn't say this is a brilliant book or that Nicholson is a great writer. No fancy literary devices, just telling a story. It was a window into New York high society and the world of collectors and Russian history, which I wish I understood better. I enjoyed the trip.
September 2, 2025
This is a fascinating read, especially if you have even the slightest interest and knowledge of Faberge art. Throw in a bit of a mystery and a lot of interesting Russian emigre stories and you have a very interesting read
February 14, 2021
A fascinating description of the Russian art world and of Russian before, during and after the revolution.
September 3, 2014
I really like historical fiction and was excited about this book because I haven't really read much of the genre centering on Russian history. I learned a lot about the lives of the old royals who fled Russia, and it was an interesting look at a country that I don't know much about, but overall it was a bit of a letdown. This novel seemed more like a laundry list of facts and artifacts with a flimsy unifying theme rather than a novel with any real cohesion or sense of inertia. I like hearing about a lavish old mansion as much as the next guy, but even I was getting bored hearing about this fancy rug and that priceless heirloom after awhile. It was obnoxious and showy. I get that the author himself used to work for auction houses and knows all of these items and their significance, but it was too much to include in virtually every scene. It wasn't creatively included and seemed stale very quickly.
I liked the characters and the plot line was interesting enough, but this seemed like a first draft rather than a fully fleshed out story. One of the main reasons for this is because of what I'm going to call the 'flickering' characters. They come in and out when its convenient for them to relay some plot point or have a handy flashback, but their own storylines aren't developed and they just flicker in and out of the story. It really bothered me because some of these characters were really interesting - especially Nina, our main character's mother who is present in the opening scene and then marginally present through flashbacks. She was a fascinating character that could have used some development, but is left by the wayside.
Another problem I had with this novel was that everything was just so...convenient. People and events just seem to happen right when they need to. Now, I understand that some level of disbelief has to be ignored at times, but this was just too much. It seemed lazy and got on my nerves. It seemed to me that the author spent all this time creating a complicated plotline and inserting these ambiguous characters who may or may not be villains, and then got tired of doing it all and just wrapped it up in a nice little bow, abandoning the depth of the other characters and the intricacy of the plot. It was disappointing to say the least.
With all that being said, I didn't actually hate this book. It was fairly enjoyable at moments and it satisfied my craving for historical fiction. It was alright but not anything that I'd reread or necessarily recommend.
I liked the characters and the plot line was interesting enough, but this seemed like a first draft rather than a fully fleshed out story. One of the main reasons for this is because of what I'm going to call the 'flickering' characters. They come in and out when its convenient for them to relay some plot point or have a handy flashback, but their own storylines aren't developed and they just flicker in and out of the story. It really bothered me because some of these characters were really interesting - especially Nina, our main character's mother who is present in the opening scene and then marginally present through flashbacks. She was a fascinating character that could have used some development, but is left by the wayside.
Another problem I had with this novel was that everything was just so...convenient. People and events just seem to happen right when they need to. Now, I understand that some level of disbelief has to be ignored at times, but this was just too much. It seemed lazy and got on my nerves. It seemed to me that the author spent all this time creating a complicated plotline and inserting these ambiguous characters who may or may not be villains, and then got tired of doing it all and just wrapped it up in a nice little bow, abandoning the depth of the other characters and the intricacy of the plot. It was disappointing to say the least.
With all that being said, I didn't actually hate this book. It was fairly enjoyable at moments and it satisfied my craving for historical fiction. It was alright but not anything that I'd reread or necessarily recommend.
June 2, 2010
An interesting story about the search for the provenance of a Faberge statue delivered to an auction house in New York for sale. The unraveling of the story takes the players to St Petersburg and Moscow, involving them in intrigue among the Russian aristocracy.
January 25, 2008
A quick read novel about the high Russian society in New York City and rare Faberge objects of art.
February 24, 2008
Except for a couple of scenes that were over-the-top, I liked learning about the world of jewels.
October 14, 2009
I love faberge, so I grabbed this- not my usual! Russian setting and history were very interesting.
June 28, 2010
I liked the plot, which focused on the mysterious provenance of a Faberge figurine. A slow beginning, but interesting details about Russian history. Felt very rushed at times, but I liked this book.
October 8, 2011
Interesting notions about art, counterfeiting and ownership. Also about the role of "Royalty" in the modern world.
January 10, 2014
Enjoyable Russian history lessons. Wonder if Nick really lived that life of the young and rich in NYC?
September 9, 2015
great story - not as well written as I'd like. Lots of potential story lines just dropped.. but interesting read.
February 18, 2023
This book was incredibly well written, a thoroughly enjoyable book. I only wish this without had more I could read!
March 4, 2013
Poorly written.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews