Maria SEMENOVA - RARE ANTIQUE RUSSIAN SILVER and ENAMELED TEA CUP, 19th CENTURY
A lovely tea cup in the shape of a quatrefoil, made of gilded silver and decorated with intricate polychrome patterns using the cloisonne enamel technique. It dates from the late 19th or early 20th century.
HALLMARKS: '88' silver standard next to a woman's head in a kokoshnik, turned to the right, Russian two-headed eagle, and the maker's initials: 'MC' for Maria Wasiliewna Semenova - please see the information below.
SOME EXPERTS believe that items made by Maria Semenova can be found in Faberge cases. These items also bear engraved numbers and letters, similar to the items created by independent workmasters who produced objects for Faberge but were not affiliated with the House of Faberge.
CONDITION: Magnificent Russian. Overall condition is good. For further information, please refer to the pictures.
PROVENANCE: 1. From an old collection, New York, USA, 1968-2020; 2. Antique Arena Inc, Brooklyn, NY, USA, May 08, 2021 (the winner will receive this information); 3. Our sale of this item adds another layer of provenance. History of sale is very IMPORTANT for serious collection.
DIMENSIONS: 1 3/4 inches. Length: 3 1/2 inches. Weight: 89.6 grams.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $1,000 - $5,000 (significantly lower than today's market price). You have a GREAT CHANCE to purchase a rare item for your collection, and over the years, its price will only INCREASE.
HISTORY of SALES: A few years ago, Russian silver tea cups were sold on Live Auctioneers and Christie's for $5,500, $8,000, $9,000, and $9,500 - please refer to the screenshots for details. Today, prices have significantly increased compared to those of 5-10 years ago.
WARRANTY: The buyer has 7 days to inspect items valued at up to $5,000 and 15 days for items valued at $5,000 or more. Items can be returned to the seller for a refund; please refer to the Terms for more details.
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A LIFETIME WARRANTY is provided for the originality of this particular item manufactured during the described period of time.
BEST INVESTMENT: If you are an individual or an investment company concerned about preserving your capital in these uncertain times, items with a LIFETIME WARRANTY are the best way to do so. Consider this: traditional banks typically offer annual returns of 1-3% on your funds, while inflation exceeds 5%. In contrast, collectible items with a LIFETIME WARRANTY can yield a minimum profit of 30-50% per year - with no associated risks. Some of our items with a LIFETIME WARRANTY have the potential to generate immediate profits of 100% or even more!! By the way, our estimated price is much lower than the market price for this item now. Please explore our "HISTORY of SALES" section and look at the screenshots for samples of similar items sold at renowned auctions, such as Sotheby's, Christie's, Live Auctioneers, eBay, and more. The choice is YOURS.

HISTORY: Semenova, Maria Wasiliewna. Working in Moscow from about 1890. Her pieces are of outstanding quality, especially in the painting of the cloisons. Her style tends more to the traditional, less often Art Nouveau. The magnificent cloisons of her flowers (on a matted gold grond) are shaded with violet tones. Other typical colours are white and green, with frequent frames of round turquoise pearls. Also from her hand are enamel paintings en plein combined with cloisonne frames. Maria Semyonova inherited her father's factory after his death in 1896. She owned and managed the company but she was not a registered skilled master. Therefore she hasn't made a single thing only maintained the right to use an official maker's mark MC given by the guild. The objects marked with Maria's maker's mark are made by other skilled master working in the company. MC is more a logo/trade mark comparable with e.g. the FABERGE mark.

WIKIPEDIA: Tea is an important part of Russian culture. Due in part to Russia's cold northern climate, it is today considered the de facto national beverage, one of the most popular beverages in the country, and is closely associated with traditional Russian culture. Russian tea is brewed and can be served sweet, and hot or cold. It is traditionally taken at afternoon tea, but has since spread as an all day drink, especially at the end of meals, served with dessert. A notable aspect of Russian tea culture is the samovar, which is used for brewing.

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