Snuffbox I. MARSHAK. St. Petersburg. Austere and graceful silver snuffbox of blue gel-coated enamel with diverging rays and a diamond luminary, in two-colored gold laurel plaits along the margins of the lid. firms I. MARSHAK. St. Petersburg. 1899-1908. 88 standard silver. Master Ivan Britsyn: I.B
Dimensions: 7x3.7x1.5 cm.
Jeweler Ivan Savelievich Britsyn (1870 - 1952)
Ivan Savelievich Britsyn came from the peasants of the Moscow province. In 1903 he passed the exam for the "master of silver craft" at the St. Petersburg Crafts Council. Perhaps he was a student of the workshop of K. Faberge. In 1903 he opened a workshop at 6 Spassky Pereulok. From 1907 he was a "master of gold and silver items". Since 1910, he owned a workshop at 12 Malaya Konyushennaya Street, which was named "Russian Enamel". The workshop produced snuff boxes, cigarette cases, table clocks, cufflinks, buckles and other products (stamps "IB" and "Britsyn"). Since 1909 he took part in exhibitions, including international ones. Was a supplier to the Imperial Court. After the revolution and until 1924 he continued to work in his workshop, later he worked in a cooperative artel in Leningrad, at the "Pearl" factory in Chuvashia. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 he was in besieged Leningrad, was awarded the medal "For the Defense of Leningrad" (1943). Britsyn and his workshop are kept in the State Museum-Reserve "Peterhof", in private collections in Russia and abroad.
"Violettes Paris". Round gold enamel snuffbox.
On a noble, dark brown background in a gold net and antique grotesques, the lid depicts a preening nymph with a cupid adorning her hair. The base vignette depicts a flirtatious scene, apparently with the same cherub, dove and a basket of flowers, with nova in pursuit of the mistress who has escaped. Marked: Violettes Paris On the inside of the rim commemorative date April 18, 1880. Parisian gold hallmarks from 1838, corresponding to the 750 standard, are at the bottom of the powder box. There is an original mirror inside the lid. Height: 3cm. length-5cm. Weight: 73.94g
