Lot 0171
Russian Trompe-l’Oeil Silver Kovsh in the Form of a Half Pear, Moscow, 1908–1917
Estimate: 2500-3500€
A Russian Trompe-l’oeil Kovsh in the Form of a Half Pear
Moscow, master “IV”, 1908-1917.
Silver; cast, chased.
Size: 7.0 × 13.5 × 11.5 cm. Weight: 249 g.
Marks: maker’s mark “IV”; Moscow assay mark; 84 zolotnik silver standard.
A finely modelled silver kovsh conceived as a trompe-l’oeil half pear, its sculptural body rendered with softly swelling contours and an asymmetrical profile that closely follows the natural form of the fruit. The surface is articulated with restrained linear accents suggesting the pear’s ribs and growth, while the handle is cast as a curving branch and joined to a sharply observed leaf, its veins and serrated edges carefully chased.
The piece belongs to the distinctive current of Moscow silver of the late Imperial period, when masters working in the Art Nouveau idiom turned to organic form, botanical motifs, and fluid silhouette.
Starting price: 2000€
Estimate: 2500-3500€
Hammer Price: €
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Lot 0169
Pair of Russian Art Nouveau Silver Champagne Flutes by Antip Kuzmichev
Estimate: 600-700€
Lot 0169
Pair of Russian Art Nouveau Silver Champagne Flutes by Antip Kuzmichev
Estimate: 600-700€A pair of Russian Art Nouveau silver champagne flutes.
Moscow, workshop of Antip Ivanovich Kuzmichev, 1898-1908.
Silver; engraved and polished.
Height: 13.5 cm.
Total weight: 234 g.
Marks: maker’s mark “АК” for Antip Kuzmichev; Moscow assay mark with 84 zolotnik silver standard.
A pair of elegant silver champagne flutes of tapering conical form, each raised on a circular spreading foot. The vessels are decorated with finely engraved Art Nouveau floral motifs: long curved stems, pendant bell-shaped blossoms and delicate linear foliage, arranged asymmetrically across the polished silver surface.
On the reverse of each flute is engraved the Roman numeral “XXV”, most probably indicating a twenty-fifth anniversary or jubilee gift.
Antip Ivanovich Kuzmichev occupies an important, though still insufficiently studied, place in Russian decorative art of the late nineteenth century. His factory, founded in 1856, produced a wide range of artistic works in gold, silver and bronze. By the end of the century it had grown into a substantial Moscow enterprise, known particularly for silver and enamel objects. Kuzmichev’s name is also associated with the export of Russian enamel wares to the United States, including works retailed by Tiffany & Co., which helped introduce Moscow silver and enamel to an international audience.
Although Kuzmichev was not an official supplier to the Imperial Court, his workshop was highly regarded. At the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, his name was mentioned alongside major Russian silver firms such as Ovchinnikov and Kurlyukov.Starting price: 500€
Estimate: 600-700€
Hammer Price: € -
Lot 0172
Fabergé Silver Presentation Bowl Set with Russian Imperial Roubles, St Petersburg, 1896
Estimate: 15000-18000€
Lot 0172
Fabergé Silver Presentation Bowl Set with Russian Imperial Roubles, St Petersburg, 1896
Estimate: 15000-18000€A Fabergé Silver Presentation Bowl Set with Russian Imperial Roubles
St Petersburg, firm of Karl Fabergé, workmaster Stefan Wäkevä, 1896.
Silver, Russian silver rouble coins; casting, repoussé, chasing, engraving, applied coin mounts.
Weight: 864 g.
Dimensions: 15 × 18 × 18 cm.
Marks: firm mark К. ФАБЕРЖЕ beneath the Imperial warrant; workmaster’s mark S.W in an oval for Stefan Wäkevä; St Petersburg assay mark, 84 zolotniki silver standard, dated 1896.
A silver presentation bowl of rounded cauldron form, raised on three spherical feet and decorated with an applied frieze of classical palmettes below the rim. The body is set with four Russian Imperial silver roubles: a rouble of Peter I, a rouble of Anna Ioannovna, a rouble of Peter III and a rouble of Catherine II. The coins are mounted in circular silver frames and arranged around the body as historical medallions, turning the vessel into a dynastic and numismatic object.
The principal side bears the engraved inscription “St. Petersbourg” and the dates 7 Octobre 1889 and 24 Janvier 1898, with a finely engraved monogram below.
Stefan Wäkevä was one of the important St Petersburg silversmiths supplying the Fabergé firm. Born in 1833 in the Viipuri Province of the Grand Duchy of Finland, he trained in St Petersburg and became a master silversmith in 1856. His workshop supplied Fabergé with high-quality silverware, including tea services, tankards and punch bowls.Starting price: 12000€
Estimate: 15000-18000€
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Lot 0173
Figure of the Ancient God of Winemaking by First Kiev Artel
Estimate: 3000-4000€
Lot 0173
Figure of the Ancient God of Winemaking by First Kiev Artel
Estimate: 3000-4000€Figure of the ancient god of winemaking. Silver, casting, chasing. Makers mark of «1KARTEL» on the base. Kiev, 1908-1917.
Figure of the ancient god of winemaking and merriment shown in a dynamic pose: Bacchus sits on a raised base, holding a bottle in his right hand as if inviting to a feast. His face is full of vitality, the features slightly grotesque, emphasizing the character of the image. The base is adorned with rich relief decoration: grape clusters, leaves, and neo-Baroque ornaments. At the center of the front side is an oval cartouche framed with scrolls and shells.
Made by the Kiev Artel, founded in 1900 — one of the finest jewelry firms in Russia. In 1905, its craftsmen became part of the Kiev branch of Fabergé, which was located at the same address as the Artel: 15 Khreshchatyk. Dimensions: 15,1 x 12 x 13 cm. Total weight: 211 g.Starting price: 2500€
Estimate: 3000-4000€
Hammer Price: € -
Lot 0170
Fabergé Tea Glass Holder, St Petersburg, 1908–1917
Estimate: 1200-1500€
Lot 0170
Fabergé Tea Glass Holder, St Petersburg, 1908–1917
Estimate: 1200-1500€Faberge. Tea glass holder.
Silver, casting, chasing.
Makers mark of «Faberge» and «Ya A». Petersburg, 1908-1917.This elegant glass holder, crafted in silver, exemplifies Fabergé’s refined approach to functional objects. The openwork design features stylized foliate motifs in the form of the wreath, combining simplicity of form with subtle decorative detail.
Karl Gustav Hjalmar Armfelt (1873–1959) was a Finnish-born goldsmith who trained in St. Petersburg and from 1891 worked for Fabergé under Anders Nevalainen. In 1904 he became a master and took over the workshop of Johan Victor Aarne, producing for Fabergé until 1916. His works included jeweled mounts, enamelled gold objects, hardstone carvings, icons, and silver figurines.
Dimensions: 7.5 x 11 x 7.7 cm. Weight: 115.3 g.Starting price: 1000€
Estimate: 1200-1500€
Hammer Price: €