16th Nov, 2024 9:30 GMT/BST
Fine Jewellery, Watches & Silver
2042
A Russian/Chinese Silver Table-Service
With Cast Pseudo Kokoshnik Mark, Probably Harbin, First Quarter 20th Century
each piece with rococo style decoration, comprising
11 table-spoons
12 table-forks
12 dessert-forks
A soup-ladle
A caddy or sugar-spoon
and the following with filled handles
12 table-knives, with stainless steel blades
12 cheese-knives, with stainless steel blades
12 fruit-forks, with silver-gilt tines
12 fruit-knives, with silver-gilt blades
6 forks with two tines, with silver-gilt tines
6 smaller forks with two tines, with silver gilt-tines, one detached
2 serving-slices
2 ladles, one with silver bowl and one with silver-gilt bowl
weighable silver 92oz 4dwt, 2,868gr (101)
Harbin is a city in Manchuria, in northeast China. During the Russian revolution many Russians fled by train to the east, ending up in Harbin, indeed by 1921 something like a third of the population of 300,000 were of Russian extraction. As the Russian currency the emigrees brought with them was now worthless their worldly possessions were instead often converted to wrought silver wares to allow them to carry their wealth with them. This was accommodated by a group of silversmiths who had also fled to Harbin and used their skills to produce items in traditional Russian styles. As there was no assay office for them to turn to and as they also had no marks to use on their wares they instead cast into the articles they produced silver marks resembling the pre-revolutionary Kokoshnik marks that they were familiar with.
Sold for £2,200
Estimated at £1,000 - £1,500
The pieces are marked with a cast pseudomark. There is some overall wear and scratching. The handles on some of the filled pieces are detached from the attachments.
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Auction: Fine Jewellery, Watches & Silver, 16th Nov, 2024
A spectacular life-size silver fox, modelled in the late 19th century by famed Victorian taxidermist James Rowland Ward, will be offered for sale with an estimate of £25,000-35,000 (all figures exclude buyer's premium). The model was presented to Sir Bache Cunard, legendary huntsman and scion of the Cunard shipping family, as a testimonial for his services to hunting in South Leicestershire and was paid for by subscription by members of his hunt.
In a superb offering of watches in the sale is an interesting selection of vintage pieces, with early and rare examples. The earliest wristwatch in the sale is a good Rolex: 18 Carat Two-Coloured Gold ‘Prince Brancard’ Watch (ref: 971) dating from the 1930s (estimate: £4,000-5,000). One of the rarest watches is a 1951 Omega: 14 Carat Rose Gold ‘Museum Cosmic’ Triple Calendar Moonphase Wristwatch (ref:3944) (estimate: £14,000-16,000). Reference 3944 was the first watch in Omega’s Cosmic line; it was made in three different metals, rose gold like the present example, being the rarest.
Period jewellery in the sale is led by a dazzling Art Deco Diamond Double Clip Brooch by Le Roy et Fils Ltd (estimate: £5,000-7,000). There is also a good offering of impressive rings in the sale, most notably a Diamond Cluster Ring (estimate: £15,000-20,000). Modernist jewellery is also a strong feature, with a good selection on offer by the likes of Leo de Vroomen, Andrew Grima, Alan Gard, Thomas A Payne and Kutchinsky.
Viewing
Sunday 10th November to Thursday 14th November 11am-4pm, Friday 15th November 8am-4pm, and morning of the sale from 8am
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