SALE 9060, 20 October 1998
THE GREENFIELD COLLECTION OF RUSSIAN ENAMELS

Lot 181

 

A silver-gilt cloisonn enamel three-handled Cup ('Kriushonnitsa') marked P. Ovchinnikov with Imperial warrant, Moscow, 1896-1908.

Of baluster shape, on three stylized feet, overall enamelled with stylized varicolor floral and foliate scrolls set with colored cabochon stones on pale blue and dark blue ground, with cartouches holding the mythological bird Sirin on green ground, within red foliate borders on gilt ground, the spreading rim with band of green and red foliage on cream ground within borders of geometric motifs, the three scroll handles with knop thumb pieces partially decorated with stylized floral and foliate scrolls on cream and pale blue ground, marked under base

9in. (24.2cm.) high

Lot Notes

The mythical bird Sirin appears in old Russian legends and epics depicted with a woman's head and breast, and is based on the Sirens of ancient Greek mythology.

 

For similar cup see A. von Solodkoff, Orfvrerie russe du XVII au XIX sicle, (Fribourg, 1981), plate 66, and N.V. Kaliazina et al., Russian Enamel of XII to early XX Century for the State Hermitage Collection, (Leningrad, 1987), plate 131.