Antiques and art must be appraised by approved appraisers before export from Russia. For "valuable" items, first get authentication, then appraisal of value. There are many pre-aged antique and painting in every tourist locale.
Export permits and appraisals. To export art works & antiques, you must get an export permit. Each category has its own appraiser. The following committees issue permits:
Art works, paintings & graphics, carpets, sculpture, etc. To get a permit, take two photos of each art work (13x18 cm), the art works themselves, passport & visa to:
*The Culture Committee
Neglinnaya, 8/10, flr 3, kom. 29
Tel... 921-32-58
Mo, Tu, Th, Fr 10-18:30 (14-15), Sa 10-14; M. Okhotnyy Ryad
Handicrafts, samovars, etc. must be appraised by:
*Historical Museum
Krasnaya pl., 1/2
Tel... 292-04-28
Ceramics... 292-32-28
Non-precious metals... 276-59-19
Guns... 246-47-66
Fabrics... 276-49-77
Numismatics... 292-28-73
Wood crafts... 292-65-48
Arts (paintins, graphics, icons etc.)... 292-14-80
Maps... 925-88-44
Writing arts... 166-22-09
Old books, manuscripts... 292-11-70
Costumes, clothes... 276-30-35
Ivory... 276-49-77
Mo, We-Fr 10-15, Tu 10-12; M. Ploshchad Revolutsii
To get a permit, take appraisal, art works themselves, photos, passport & visa to the Culture Committee.
Musical Instruments, must be appraised by:
*Glinka Museum of Musical Culture
Fadeeva, 4, flr 1, kom. 110
Tel... 250-44-08
Mo-Th 10-17, Fr 10-16; M. Mayakovskaya
Each instrument has an assigned day to be appraised, so call first and ask what day you should came. Three photos are required and must comply with specific rules. Call the museum first for the specific requirements for the instrument you are having appraised. You can get help in making correct photos by calling: 251-13-22. To get a permit, take the appraisal, instruments themselves, photos, passport & visa to the Culture Committee.
Old sewing machines, gramophones, cameras, binoculars, etc. must be appraised by:
*Polytechnical Museum
Novaya pl., 3/4
Tel... 928-44-05
Tu 15-17; M. Kitay-Gorod
To get a permit, take items themselves, appraisal, 2 13x18 cm photos, passport & visa to the Culture Committee.
Oriental Art works must be appraised by:
*Museum of Oriental Art
Nikitskiy blvd, 12a
Tel... 291-82-19
Mo-We 11-15, M. Arbatskaya, Pushkinskaya
To get a permit, take items themselves, appraisal, 2 13x18 cm photos, passport & visa to the Culture Committee.