Eastern Europe, Russia, ca. 20th century CE. A silver and enamel chest with gorgeous filigree cloisonne. The rounded lid depicts a scene of three figures, standing together and holding a bowl of water on a blue background, surrounded by a border of verdant green and pink floral decoration. The rest of the box is covered in floral motifs, most on a creamy background, with darker blue around the edges. A small clasp holds the box shut. The interior is undecorated; the bottom is stamped, but the stamps are not legible. This example is 90% silver and seems to have some bronze content based on the patina on the interior. Size: 2.1" L x 3.1" W x 1.95" H (5.3 cm x 7.9 cm x 5 cm)

From the mid-19th century to the early 20th, Russian art of all kinds experienced a renaissance that is known as the Silver Age. Russian artisans were inspired by the Gothic, the Moresque, Chinoiserie, the Baroque, the Rococo… all ornate styles, replete with scrolling vines and flourishing arches. They combined this with the bright colors and rich ornament of Old Russian applied art to create a unique style of which silver items like this box are some of the most enduring. Later Russian artists in the 20th century copied the styles pioneered by famous Russian silversmith firms like Ovchinnikov, Kurlyukov, the Grachev Brothers, and Faberge .

Provenance: private collection of James Farmer, Maryland, USA, collected from major galleries and auction houses between 1995 and 2005

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#124393

Exterior is in excellent condition. Base has some tarnish/patina, as does the interior.