Viktor Tsoi's 'Quiet Night' Manuscript Sold Ahead of Schedule at Litfond Auction

The handwritten original manuscript for Viktor Tsoi's song, which later became known as 'Quiet Night' (or 'Spokoynaya Noch'), was successfully sold at the Litfond auction house on December 12, 2025. This lot was originally slated for sale on December 18. However, the item was withdrawn early due to an exceptionally compelling offer received from a buyer, an offer that Litfond Director Sergey Burmistrov stated was simply impossible to decline.

Dating back to June 7, 1986, the document features the author's original lyrics, along with the endorsement and signature of Nina Baranovskaya. Baranovskaya served as a methodologist at the Inter-Union House of Amateur Creativity and effectively held the gatekeeping role for approving lyrics for performance at the Leningrad Rock Club. The initial estimated value for the manuscript, which includes Tsoi's autograph, was set at one million rubles.

The song 'Quiet Night' made its debut performance at the Fourth Festival of the Leningrad Rock Club in 1986. It subsequently appeared in a studio recording on the 1988 album 'Gruppa Krovi' (Blood Type). Furthermore, the track was re-recorded for the compilation album 'Posledniy geroy' (The Last Hero) in 1989, while the musician was still alive.

The market for memorabilia associated with Viktor Tsoi’s legacy continues to show robust interest. As a notable precedent, on October 27, 2024, Tsoi's drawing titled 'Chelovek-chetyreugolnik' (The Four-Cornered Man) fetched 76,900 euros at a Vladey contemporary art auction. This translated to 7.19 million rubles, exceeding its pre-sale estimate by a factor of five.

Litfond has a history of handling significant Kino manuscripts. Previously, the auction house managed the sale of the lyrics for the song 'Prokhozhiy' (Passerby), which carried an appraisal of 1.5 million rubles. Another manuscript, for the iconic track 'Khochu peremen!' (I Want Changes!), was valued even higher, at 3.6 million rubles.

Founded by Sergey Burmistrov in 2015, the Litfond auction house specializes in rare antique publications and manuscripts. It typically hosts around 120 auctions annually across Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The early sale of the 'Quiet Night' manuscript on December 12, 2025, underscores the high demand for authentic materials shedding light on Tsoi's creative process. This event aligns perfectly with the auction house's forecasts predicting sustained high valuations for Tsoi's memorabilia throughout 2025.