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RUSSIAN ART NOUVEAU SILVER SNUFFBOX WITH CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL. 6TH MOSCOW JEWELLERS’ ARTEL  RUSSIA, MOSCOW, 1908–1917
RUSSIAN ART NOUVEAU SILVER SNUFFBOX WITH CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL. 6TH MOSCOW JEWELLERS’ ARTEL RUSSIA, MOSCOW, 1908–1917
A vivid and artistically coherent example of late Russian Art Nouveau, this silver snuffbox was produced by the craftsmen of the 6th Moscow Jewellers’ Artel between 1908 and 1917. The octagonal form of the body emphasises the architectural clarity of the object and provides a structural framework for a complex, multi-layered decorative programme characteristic of Moscow enamel production in the early twentieth century.The body and hinged lid are adorned with high-quality cloisonné enamel on silver, executed with finely applied silver cloisons and a rich, carefully balanced colour palette. The decorative composition combines geometric bands, vegetal motifs and symbolic representations of natural elements. The central motif on the lid depicts a mythical flower-tree bearing fruits and berries, as if emerging from the edge of an epic forest. Its symmetrical growth establishes the vertical axis of the composition and alludes to themes of life cycles, growth and fertility.In the corner zones and along the lateral registers, an ambivalent system of undulating and spiral motifs unfolds. In the upper areas these forms evoke the celestial sphere, clouds and rain-bearing skies, while in the lower registers they transform into images of meadow grasses, bodies of water and fertile earth. The side panels alternate scenes of vegetal flowering and aquatic symbolism, complemented by bands of diamonds, diagonals and spirals. The chamfered corners are articulated with dynamic diagonal compositions set against a light enamel ground, enhancing the sense of rhythm and movement.The interior surface of the snuffbox is fully gilded.Hallmarks: Mark “6MA”, 6th Moscow Jewellers’ Artel; State assay mark indicating silver fineness “84”, corresponding to the period 1908–1917; additional technological mark. On the inner rim of the bezel: a pair of French import marks in the form of swans within ovals.Dimensions: Height 2.5 cm; length 8 cm; width 6.6 cm.Weight: 130.0 g.Condition: Good.Provenance: Private European collection.
5500 EUR
Icon Saint Simeon Stolpnik in silver cover with enamel. Semyon Galkin. The end of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century.
Icon Saint Simeon Stolpnik in silver cover with enamel. Semyon Galkin. The end of the XIX - the beginning of the XX century.
The Russian icon St. Simeon the Stylite was created at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in Moscow. The image depicts the saint in monastic attire, offering a prayer to God. In the upper left corner is God the Father, sending down a blessing. The background of the composition is decorated with architectural elements in the traditional Orthodox style.The image is made in the academic style typical of Moscow icon-painting workshops of the late 19th century. The icon is enclosed in a gilded silver frame made by the workshop of the Semyon Galkin factory. The frame is an example of high jewelry art: it is decorated with relief chasing, hand engraving and enamels. The crown of the saint, inlaid with colored enamel, creating a shining effect, deserves special attention. Materials and technique: Board, gesso, egg tempera, silver of the 84 assay value, gilding, enamel, casting, chasing, sawing, hand engraving with a graver, chiselling, grinding, polishing, finishing, mounting, velvet.Hallmarks: Master`s name SG - Semyon Grigorievich Galkin. Silver assay mark 84 with an image of a woman`s head in a kokoshnik, facing left with the initials of the assay master IL (Ivan Sergeevich Lebedkin, Moscow, appointed in 1899).Dimensions: Height: 22 cm. Width: 18 cm.Condition: The icon is in excellent collectible condition. Historical background:Semyon Galkin and Pyotr Grigorievich Galkin are brothers, owners of a trading house and a gold and silver goods factory founded in 1890. The factory operated until 1917 and was famous for its craftsmanship. In 1898, 48 workers and 12 teenagers worked in production. In 1895-1897, the brothers owned a jewelry store on Pokrovka Street, and the factory itself was located in Maryina Roshcha. In 1897, production volume was 50 thousand rubles.By 1904, 116 people worked at the enterprise, and in 1909 - 79 workers, with an annual turnover of 175 thousand rubles. In 1913-1917, the trading house was located on Sheremetyevskaya Street, building 11, in Maryina Roshcha. The products of the Galkin factory were distinguished by their high quality, complexity of execution and rich decoration, which makes them popular among collectors and connoisseurs of Russian jewelry art.
2900 EUR
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