MacDougall's Russian Art Auctions 8-9 June 2011
8 June 2011
686. A SILVER-MOUNTED AND ENAMELLED WOODEN CHARGER SET WITH GEMS
20,000-30,000 GBP
MAKER'S MARK OF EGOR CHERYATOV IN CYRILLIC, MOSCOW, BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, 84 STANDARD.
Diameter 48 cm.
Provenance: Private collection, UK.
Circular, carved of oak, silver-mount depicting St. George slaying the dragon and views of an old
city, enamelled en plein with sunset sky, embellished with rocaille scroll borders set with cabochon
gem stones and crowned by an empty cartouche, with ink inventory numbers 39238, 83750 and
83700 on the reverse.
The Russian style found its most brilliant expression in the
jeweller’s art of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Among
the decorative objects produced at that time, the chargers
used in the traditional Russian ceremony of offering bread
and salt, were made in great numbers and deserve attention.
One example is a chased silver and polychrome enamel
charger presented to the Tsar by the City of Kiev society and
shown at the 1873 Vienna International Exhibition. Another
charger from the Urals, with chased decorative scenes, enamel
and stones (displayed in the State Historical Museum) was
commissioned by the nobility of Nizhny Novgorod for the
third centenary of the House of Romanov in 1913.
Our charger, manufactured at the famous workshop of Egor
Kuzmich Cheryatov, was probably intended for presentation
to senior officials in Moscow. Mounted on an oak base, the
scene is executed in chased silver and depicts an epic warrior
slaying a dragon by the walls of an old Russian city. The sky
above the warrior and citadel is painted in enamels. It may be
assumed that the warrior is the legendary St George the
Victorious and the city is Moscow. On the silver border, there
is a blank space for the donor’s inscription. The special quali-
ties of this charger are its stylish and decorative expression in
the language of Art Nouveau.
Notes on symbols:
* Indicates 5% Import Duty Charge applies.
Ω Indicates 20% Import Duty Charge applies.
§ Indicates Artist's Resale Right applies.
† Indicates Standard VAT scheme applies, and the rate of 20% VAT will be charged on both hammer price and premium.