Eastern Europe, Russia, Moscow, Ovchinnokov, 1891 CE. An incredible matched pair of gilt silver serving spoons with filigree cloisonne enamel on the handles and on the underside of the bowls. The motif on the underside of the bowls is the double-headed eagle, the most recognizable symbol of Russia. The bodies of the eagles are a dark purple, with pale blue feathers; they have red shields on their chests and are surrounded by red, blue, green, and cream vines and cream crosses. Size of each: 7.8" L x 2.15" W (19.8 cm x 5.5 cm)

Stamped on the side of the neck of each is the maker's mark "Ovchinnokov", the assay year "1891", assay value "84", and the city mark for Moscow, St. George on his horse defeating the dragon. Ovchinnokov is one of the most famous of Moscow's silversmiths from this time period.

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 these spoons are some of the most enduring.

Silverware was produced mainly in St. Petersburg (which had more western European influence and therefore a more European style) and Moscow (where a more pure Old Russian-inspired style came from), but other cities like Kiev, Odessa, and even places as far afield as Archangelsk had silversmiths creating beautiful objects of art. The industry grew quickly, aided by art exhibitions held from the mid-1850s onward and the public excitedly snapped up the beautiful objects they produced. An exhibition in London in 1851 showcasing silver made in Moscow introduced the Old Russian style to western Europe and the renown of Russian silversmiths increased, with firms like Ovchinnikov, Kurlyukov, the Grachev Brothers, and Faberge attaining national and international renown.



A comparable, but unmatched, set sold for $3750 at Sotheby's New York on November 4, 2010 (Lot 3 from Important Russian Enamels and Fabergé from a New York Private Collection).

Provenance: Ex- Collection of James Farmer, Maryland, collected from major galleries and auction houses between 1995 and 2005

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#120547

Excellent, with patina on gilded surface and exposed silver.