Maria SEMENOVA - RUSSIAN GOLD and SILVER ENAMELED CIGARETTE CASE from SOTHEBY's
This is a Russian silver cigarette case featuring an Imperial gold and enamel coin with the portrait of Catherine II. The clasp of the case is encrusted with a gemstone, and it has a gilt-washed interior. On the reverse side of the coin, you'll find a relief monogram.
HALLMARKS: '56' for gold content, '84' silver mark, 'V.GORDON' in Cyrillic (Gordon Vladimir Alekseevich - an outstanding silversmith, worked on Faberge and Bolin), and 'MC' in Cyrillic for famous Russian silver master Maria Wasiliewna Semenova (Moscow, 1896-1908) - please see the information below.
SOME EXPERTS believe that items made by Maria Semenova can be found in Faberge cases. These items also have engraved numbers and letters, just like the items of independent workmasters who produced objects for FABERGE but were not part of the House of FABERGE.
CONDITION: Overall condition good, light signs of wear. For further information, please refer to the pictures.
PROVENANCE: 1. From collection, representing the THIRD generation of Russian emigration in the USA; 2. Sotheby's Auction, Russian Works of Art, Faberge and Icons, Lot 55, December 2nd, 2020, London; 3. Antique Arena Inc, Brooklyn, NY, USA, February 18, 2023 (the winner will receive this information); 4. Our sale of this item adds another layer of provenance. History of sale is very IMPORTANT for serious collection.
DIMENSIONS: 3 7/8 x 2 7/8 inches (100 x 75 mm). Weight: 200 grams.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $3,000 - $10,000 (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 cigarette cases were sold on Live Auctioneers for $8,000 (2 years ago), $9,000 (11 years ago), $9,400 (2 years ago), and $12,000 (2 years ago) - 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.
NO RESERVE: More than 70% of all auctioned items have NO reserve price. Among the remaining items, there is a very reasonable reserve price set.
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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.

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