Silver and enamel cigarette case and kovsh, late 19th century

Silver and enamel cigarette case and kovsh, possibly Mikhail…
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Silver and enamel cigarette case and kovsh, possibly Mikhail Sokolov, Russia, late 19th-early 20th century, the rectangular cigarette case with rounded corners decorated with variously coloured foliate scrolls and stylised floral motifs, a blue beaded border and gilded interior, gross weight approximately 145 grams, approximately 95 x 60 x 16 mm, stamped with Kokoshnik mark, 84 standard mark and MC maker's mark ; the kovsh decorated with variously coloured stylised floral motifs, the handle embossed with a double-headed eagle Russian coat of arms, gross weight approximately 143 grams, diameter approximately 100 mm, height approximately 60 mm, stamped with Kokoshnik mark, 84 standard mark and MC maker's mark. (2). Provenance: fine furniture, silver, decorative Arts, Shapiro, Sydney, 8 December 2020, lots 581 & 582, illustrated. Private collection, Sydney, acquired from the above

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  • Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.

    For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.

    Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
  • Foliate - Decorated with leaves or leaf-like forms.
  • Embossed / Repousse - Embossing, also known as repousse, is the technique of decorating metal with raised designs, by pressing or beating out the design from the reverse side of the object.It is the opposite of chasing, where the decoration is applied from the front. An embossed or repoussed object may have chasing applied to finish off the design.

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