RUSSIAN SET of SIX SILVER and NIELLO TEASPOONS
Maker's mark Cyrillic 'A.Ch', Moscow, 1853.
Each pear-shaped bowl nielloed with flowers and scrolling foliage, with a spiral-engraved handle.
Property from a Private Collection.
CONDITION: In good condition. Light surface wear and rubbing to gilding. The item is described to the best of our knowledge. Please refer to pictures and email with any questions.
SIZE: Length 5 3/8 inches (13.7 cm).
ESTIMATE PRICE: 3000 - $4000.
You have a GREAT CHANCE to purchase a unique item for your collection - over the years it will only INCREASE in price.
HISTORY of SALES: A few years ago Russian Silver niello Spoons were sold on Live Auctioneer and Sotheby's for $5,000, $5,700, $6,100 and $7,500 - please see the screenshots.
OFFER: If an item is NOT SOLD, you can still give us a reasonable offer - please save the link of this page.
PAYMENT: PayPal, Wire transfer, Check or Money Order payment are also available.
PAY in PARTS: You can pay for any item during 2-3 months. Just make a deposit 10% and the item will wait for you.
SHIPPING: Let us Handle Your Shipping. We are one of the few places that offer full service shipping. For your convenience we will ship your item - shipping costs will be included in the invoice. Combined shipping is available - next item will be ONE DOLLAR for shipping.
PLEASE NOTE: If you want to buy this item, please make a bid now. Any offer is welcome. Some lots, that do Not Have any Bids on them, WILL be CLOSED before the auction is started and will not be included in it. Now, there are 1000+ items for preview, but there will be only 500 items in the Live Auction. This particular item is selling on consignment and will ship in a 3-4 weeks after payment.
NEW: Returning customers will have 50% DISCOUNT on shipping.

WIKIPEDIA: Niello is a black mixture, usually of sulphur, copper, silver, and lead, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal, especially silver. It is added as a powder or paste, then fired until it melts or at least softens, and flows or is pushed into the engraved lines in the metal. It hardens and blackens when cool, and the niello on the flat surface is polished off to show the filled lines in black, contrasting with the polished metal (usually silver) around it. It may also be used with other metalworking techniques to cover larger areas, as seen in the sky in the diptych illustrated here. The metal where niello is to be placed is often roughened to provide a key. In many cases, especially in objects that have been buried underground, where the niello is now lost, the roughened surface indicates that it was once there. Niello was used on a variety of objects including sword hilts, chalices, plates, horns, adornment for horses, jewellery such as bracelets, rings, pendants, and small fittings such as strap-ends, purse-bars, buttons, belt buckles and the like. It was also used to fill in the letters in inscriptions engraved on metal. Periods when engraving filled in with niello has been used to make full images with figures have been relatively few, but include some significant achievements. In ornament, it came to have competition from enamel, with far wider colour possibilities, which eventually displaced it in most of Europe. The name derives from the Latin nigellum for the substance, or nigello or neelo, the medieval Latin for black. Though historically most common in Europe, it is also known from many parts of Asia and the Near East.