Russian silver and blue guilloché enamel snuff box, I. Marshak, St Petersburg, 1899–1908
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1899–1908
This elegant rectangular silver snuff box is a notable example of late Imperial Russian jewellery art. Executed in St Petersburg between 1899 and 1908, the object was crafted by the silversmith Ivan Savelyevich Britsyn for the firm of Joseph Abramovich Marshak.
The lid features a striking deep blue guilloché enamel finish, intricately patterned with a radiating sunburst design that converges at a central accent set with a diamond. The decorative composition is further elevated by delicate two-colour gold laurel garlands surrounding the enamel panel. The sides of the box are similarly finished with precise guilloché engraving, which creates a refined interaction with light. The interior of the snuff box is fully gilded, reflecting the high manufacturing standards of the period.
Measuring 7 cm by 3.7 cm by 1.5 cm and weighing 150 g, the piece displays hallmarks including the I. Marshak maker's mark, the St Petersburg assay mark for silver fineness '88', and the master's mark 'I.B' for Ivan Savelyevich Britsyn.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Weight
- 150 g
- Material
- silver, blue guilloché enamel, diamond, two-colour gold
- Dimensions
- 7 × 3.7 × 1.5 cm
Technical characteristics
- Marks
- I. MARSHAK, 88 silver fineness with kokoshnik head, I.B
Design
- Lid
- radiating sunburst guilloché enamel pattern with central diamond accent
- Sides
- guilloché engraving
- Interior
- gilded
- Decoration
- two-colour gold laurel garlands
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Ivan Savelyevich Britsyn for the firm of Joseph Abramovich Marshak
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.