A Group of Four Russian Repoussé Silver Beakers. Unknown makers, three Period of Elizabeth I (1741-1762), 1746-1...

Description

A Group of Four Russian Repoussé Silver Beakers
Unknown makers, three Period of Elizabeth I (1741-1762), 1746-1755, one Period of Catherine II (1762-1796), circa 1789
3-3/8 x 2-3/4 inches (8.6 x 7.0 cm)
307 grams (9.87 troy ounces)

PROVENANCE:
A La Vieille Russie, New York.


These four beakers feature ornamented figural cartouches which appear to be heraldic shields, but which were likely drawn from the work Simboly i emblemata ukazom i blagopovednii imperatora Petra Alekseevicha published in Amsterdam by Henricus Wetstein in 1705. This book, only the second ever printed in Russian in Amsterdam, and the first Russian book of emblems, depicts images from Aesop's fables, as well as the works of Cats, Hensius, and Vaenus.

'Symbola et Emblemata' as it was known in Latin, included captions in several languages including Russian, and the images represent aspects of life and love. The beakers were given as gifts, and recipients could find the hidden meaning of the gift by researching the coded message contained in the book.


Estimate: $4,000 - $6,000.

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