SILVER COMMEMORATIVE COMPOSITION BY A. LYUBAVIN, ST. PETERSBURG, 1896
SILVER COMMEMORATIVE COMPOSITION. LYUBAVIN, SAINT PETERSBURG, 1896. Silver figure of the winner of a bicycle race with his arm raised on a rectangular base made of black stone. Oak box with red velvet covering, with the manufacturers seal, 40 x 30 cm (sculpture), 40.5 x 33 cm (box). The donated composition, made by the famous St. Petersburg company of Alexander Lyubavin, was intended to be presented in honor of Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich to the best cyclist of the North of Russia in 1896 and champion of the St. Michaels Tour, as follows from the engraved plaque on the front of the base. Won by the famous Russian athlete M. Dyakov on March 9, 1896, it is a symbol of its time. The end of the 19th century was marked by societys thirst for everything innovative, and the first cyclist society in Russia was organized back in 1883 in Tsarskoe Selo. A major sponsor was Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, who shared the passion for bicycle fashion, like many other representatives of the aristocracy of that time. Mr. Dyakov became a member of the Tsarskoye Selo cycling club and, after a year of training, won his first race in Tsarskoye Selo Park. In 1893, he won the title of the best Russian cyclist at a distance of 7.5 versts (Russian unit of distance equal to 1.067 km) - the most prestigious race of that time - with an all-Russian record, and received a silver cup. The following season he broke the national record and retained the championship title until 1895. In 1896, the Tsarskoye Selo Cycling Club sent Dyakov to London for the English Open Championship, where he won a sensational victory. It was the largest international tournament of that time, during which Dyakov set two world records. In total, during his sports career, Dyakov set more than ten world records, and out of 300 official races he managed to take first place only three times. In 1905 Mr. Diakov was knighted. The silverware factory, founded by Alexander Venediktovich Lyubavin in 1893, existed in St. Petersburg until the 1917 revolution and was one of the most fashionable and famous factories along with other major names such as Faberge, Ovchinnikov, Khlebnikov. In 1900, Lyubavin received the title of supplier to the Imperial Court, and in 1905 his son Nikolai Alexandrovich retained it and continued the activities of the dynasty. It is noteworthy that the sculpture is very similar to the famous portraits of Dyakov. The exceptional quality and unique context make this work not only a high-quality testament to Russian decorative art of the late 19th century, but also a rare and exquisite piece of Russian imperial history.
Begins 18.05.2024
