Featured Imperial Russian Caviar Spoons

I've have just acquired three silver spoons, which, according to my research, are sometimes described as 'caviar' spoons.
They are quite attractive, although unfortunately, the hallmarks are not the clearest.
Although I generally collect porcelain, I couldn't resist these, although I may yet live to regret my decision to snap 'em up !

I'd be grateful if any experts out there might be kind enough to help with a couple of questions I have.

(i) Is there a specific name for the type of work seen in the centre panels on the underside of the bowl ? For example, such as the term 'relief cut' for glass items.
(ii) Does anyone recognise the location depicted as being from a particular town or city (eg St. Petersburg) or is it more likely just a 'typical' town scene.

Not sure whether to hang on to these (as they are 'non-core' items as regards my collecting) or whether to re-sell and use the proceeds for future purchases.
(iii) If I were to sell, am I right in thinking that it would be more sensible to sell the spoons individually over a period of time, rather than sell them together as a part set ?

Any help will be most gratefully appreciated.

 

Hello everyone. Silver spoons has different markings, one can be made in Moscow by Master Vasily Aleksandrovich Petrov [1883-1893],other one seems to made in city St. Petersburg.

 

Are you sure they're not tea spoons? I ask because silver spoons are considered a no-no with caviar.

Debora

 

They're so lovely and interesting!!! Are they meant to look gold or is that just the photos??



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Thanks for your comments everyone. I suspect that the gold colour is the remains of gilding.

 

That is what it looks like. Gold makes them OK to use for caviar, and this is indeed a shape used for caviar spoons in Russia.

The 84 mark is for .875 silver fineness.
As for the marks not yet identified, they are difficult to discern but maybe @Aznathalie recognizes more.

 

Better to say Tsarist silver or silver of the Imperial period rather than Imperial silver. Or have we had this discussion previously?

 

We have, but it is good to bring it up again.
Imperial Russian or Imperial Silver refers to items from the Russian Imperial court only.

 

I'd agree that the gold wash means they can be used for caviar.

 

Hard to see marks.Some inform about; Assey master Vasily Aleksandrovich Petrov.RUSSIAN SILVER-GILT BASKET AND A PAIR OF RUSSIAN SILVER TUMBLERS
THE BASKET MOSCOW, 1886, ASSAY MASTER VASILY ALEKSANDROVICH PETROV; THE TUMBLERS MARK OF GRACHEV, ST. PETERSBURG, 1890.

 

May be it gonna help to recognize that spoons ;first spoon has Assey silver marks is IK (ИK cyrillic )[Ivan Yefimovich Konstantinov. Moscow 1875- 1882 years],second spoon has Assey marks VP (BП cyrillic]Vasily Aleksandrovich Petrov [1883-1893],third has maker's marks I.A [И.А .cyrillic]-?That is marks as I can see.My guess.

 

Aha ! Thanks for the tip.

 

Thanks for providing this useful info ! Much appreciated !!

 

Glad to help .

 

1.Autriche-Hongrie 2. Moscow.

A rider on a horse striking a snake with a spear,
this is St. George the Victorious, the brand of the city of
1888_assay masters.jpg
As you can see from the table, how many assistants the assayer had. When the master brought a dozen spoons, for example, they could take two assayers and immediately walk, brand these spoons with their brands. This explains the different assay marks on the same spoons Master, as I understand it, AND L. The catalog of goldsmiths under the editorship of Ivanov gives about 30 masters with the stamp of I.L. Yours, possibly Lapkin

 

Well spotted, eagle-eye Nathalie! Those are indeed Austro-Hungarian import marks, 1891-1901.

 

This is a stigma for imported products of Austria-Hungary, that is, after the spoons were made in Russia, they ended up in Austria-Hungary, they paid a duty for them, they put a stigma and these items could be freely sold in this country, and in the end these spoons ended up in you!

 

I was helped on the Russian forum.

 

Always good to have some back-up.

 

What do you mean by "stigma" in this context @Aznathalie ?