Featured Niellated silver from where ???

Good afternoon Antiquers,
This one has baffled me for quite sometime...I would say it is a visiting cards holder, it is 60x75 mm and it has no hallmarks whatsoever. It opens by sliding the top portion. It has been tested with acid to confirm it is silver.
The scene depicted could be Saint George, but the "dragon" looks very human...I do not know why, but I am inclined to think it is Russian. It also looks quite old, but I would not dare dating it on the basis of my poor knowledge!
Can somebody illuminate me with any information that could help identify age and geographical provenance?
Thank you !
Andrea

 

Is it the resemblance of the man on horseback to the typical St. George in Russian marking that makes you think Russian? The letters are more Greek to me.

 

Looks like omicron, delta, iota.

Debora

 

Yes, the style and the fact that I interpreted the figure as St. George made me think of Russia. Or South-eastern Europe...
The greek letters are a good clue, do the represent anything for example in the orthodox religion? A quick search on the net didn't return anything related.
Still quite a mistery.
Andrea

 

Could it be Saint Demetrios? Odd that all the horses tails are knotted.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/927724261/saint-demetrios-horseback-silver-relief

 

It certainly is Saint Demetrios!! Thank you, good catch.

So, it is probably from the Greek area?
I still have no idea of the age of this case; considering that Saint Demetrios lived well over 2000 years ago, the time frame is long...
Niello on silver has also been around for quite a long time and it does not help to restrict the period.
Let's see if others can contribute with further info.
Ciao
Andrea

 

I see you're from Milano. so I'd start to search in the "Greek" regions of Italy.
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Grecia

 

"Greek" Italy is no longer Greek since more than 2000 years. I really do not think this item is from Italy at all.
I have found that the iconography of St. Demetrios killing an enemy seems to have originated in Bulgaria. This would explain the Eastern Europe look.
Any takers on this possibility?

 

I'm deeply impressed by your knowledge !
to all others that want to know a bit more, please have a look to the pics on the walls in this video about "Griko". best and easiest access to the Greek communities is by car along the E90 from Reggio Calabria to Bari and visiting the mountain range or directly the SP3 and SP23 to Roccaforte del Greco...

 

Well, that is the reason for asking questions to the forum...I do not know it all and today you showed me something I did not know.
Even so, I doubt that there would have been a silversmith in the middle of those mountains. Mind you, it is not impossible, but probably quite unlikely.
Or do you suggest that indeed my item comes from that area?
Ciao
Andrea

 

I dont think its terribly old,the quality of the niello is rather crude,especially the faces. Id guess souvenir item,maybe 1920s .Just a guess though.

 

I find it quite difficult to place it in a time frame, but I agree that it is probably not very old, maybe a bit earlier than 1920s, but not much more.
I was under the impression that the low quality of the object in general points to an Eastern European manufacture.