Russian silver-gilt and niello double-opening snuff box, Moscow 1819
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1819
This fine silver-gilt and niello double-opening snuff box is of Russian origin, dating to 1819 and crafted in Moscow. The container features a rounded rectangular form with a gilded interior.
The exterior is elaborately decorated with niello work, displaying historical motifs on both faces. One side depicts the monument to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuz'ma Minin, while the other side illustrates the expulsion of the Poles in 1612. The craftsmanship includes chasing, chiseling, and niello decoration on silver. The box measures 8.5 cm in length and weighs 158 grams. It is fully hallmarked, bearing a city hallmark, the '84' silver standard mark, an assayer's mark, and the master's mark 'AI' in Cyrillic characters.
The combination of intricate historical scenes, technical mastery of the niello technique, and the refined gilt interior make this a significant example of early 19th-century Russian metalwork.
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
- Length
- 8.5 cm
- Weight
- 158 g
- Material
- silver, gilt, niello
Technical characteristics
- Hallmarks
- city hallmark, 84 standard, assayer's mark, master's mark 'AI'
Design
- Shape
- rounded rectangular
- Ornamentation
- monument to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuz'ma Minin; expulsion of the Poles in 1612
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
- AI
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.