History of Russian Silver
Before 1700 there was no systematic control over silver marking and it was only with Peter the Great that a "silver standard" was set and Assay Offices established in all major cities.
The standard for Russian silver is measured in zolotniks: the most common fineness is 84, corresponding to 875/1000 standard. There are also other standards that can be encountered, which include 88, 91, 94 and very rarely 96 (meaning pure silver).
Up to the late 19th century each silver item had to be marked, other than with the silver standard mark, also with town mark, Assay Master mark with date, and Maker’s mark.
In 1896, Tsar Nicholas II (1868-1918) issued an edict and a new system of marking was introduced, known as the Kokoshnik mark (a cartouche containing a woman’s head looking left flanked by the silver fineness, usually 84, and the assayer’s initials).
After 1908 the mark changed, the head facing right and the assayer’s initials replaced by a Greek letter representing the city in which the assay office was located. This system continued until the Revolution.
20th Century Russian silver trompe l'oeil bread basket, of oval basket weave form, embellished with a fringed cloth, flanked by a pair of ropetwist handles and raised on wirework feet. Hallmarked Russian Silver 84, Maker Gustav Klingert.
Reference Number: A5074
19th Century Important Imperial Russian silver Royal presentation cigar garniture, on octagonal base, naturalistically formed as a peasant standing on rocky ground and smoking a pipe, standing next on a barrel forming a cigar holder, with a bucket nearby forming a match holder, both with gilt interiors, also with an axe with pierced centre attached to a hollow tree-stump forming a cigar-cutter, with a detachable hidden base for cigar trimmings, the base engraved 'Presented by His Imperial Highness / The Grand Duke Alexis of Russia / to Edward S. Sanford / Pensacola Florida. Feb. 22nd 1872',.
Hallmarked with Russian Silver marks (84), St-Petersburg, Mark for Sazikov and Imperial Warrant.
Reference Number: A2345
19th Century Imperial Russian trompe l'oeil solid silver lidded tankard, realistically modelled in a shape of a house, on a stone base, wood cladding walls surrounded by pine trees and window made in a pan-Slavic style. The fish scale roof mounted with ball shaped finials and half round windows, C-shaped handle mounted with a hinged ball shaped thump piece.
Hallmarked Russian Silver 84 (875), Moscow, year 1871, Maker's mark in Cyrillic DG for Dimitry Gorbunov.
REFERENCE NUMBER: A4650
Russian Imperial silver is very appreciated for its quality and peculiar style, often sober in design but finely decorated. Enamel is the most distinctive feature of Russian silver: multicolour cloisonné, champlevé, plique-a-jour and the peculiar niello can be found on a variety of items such as cigarette cases, tea services, tankards, beakers and kovshes (traditional Russian drinking vessels).
Another peculiar and desirable characteristic of 19th century Russian silver is the Pan-Slavic revival, featuring geometric and stylized motifs inspired by historical items.
The late Imperial period is the most prolific and successful for the silver production, with a great deal of workshops and silversmiths producing exceptional objects. Important makers of this period (most of them awarded with Royal Warrant) are: Grachev, Nicholls & Plincke, Ovchinnikov, Sazikov, Saltykov, Klingert, Ruckert, the Artels (cooperative of masters working at a very high-level) and others, including the legendary workshop of Fabergé.
Russian silver, being so popular and desirable, is also one of the most difficult areas to approach as a beginning collector, as the market has been flooded for years with fakes and replicas of all kind and quality. For this reason, before making a purchase, is very important to seek the advice of an expert and rely on respectable dealers.
20th Century Imperial Russian Faberge jewelled two-color gold and enamel cigarette case, with alternating horizontal engine-turned panels and white opaque enamel stripes, the cigarette case's hinged cover with a diamond-set thumb-piece.
Hallmarked Russian gold 56 (583 standard), St-Petersburg, year 1908-1917, Maker's mark H.W for Henrik Wigstrom, 'Faberge' retail mark.
REFERENCE NUMBER: A4367
20th Century Imperial Russian two-colour gold-mounted bowenite parasol handle, applied with crossed laurel swags, suspended from a cabochon moonstone surrounded by old cut diamonds, the handle terminating in a laurel-chased boarder set with four diamonds.
Hallmarked Russian gold 56, Maker's mark M.P for Mikhail Perchin, a senior Fabergé workmaster.
REFERENCE NUMBER: A4392
20th Century Imperial Russian 14k gold cigarette case, very elegant rectangular form with rounded corners, decorated with art deco inspired reeded pyramid bands, lid mounted with a Sapphire cabochon thumb piece.
Hallmarked Russian gold 56 (585 standard), St-Petersburg, year 1908-1926, Maker's mark GN (Gabriel Nykanen, Faberge work-master, active 1889-1917).
REFERENCE NUMBER: A5041