Shoulderboards

[Zolotnik]

Hi all -

sometimes you see Russian silver, mainly cigarette cases attached with shoulderboards, nicely done in enamel or lacquer, gold or silver. The reason is the proudness of the owner having been the member of a certain (famous or not) regiment. All wellknown firms manufactured these shoulderboards in various qualities - even Fabergé.
Here some examples from my collection:

















Regards
Zolotnik

[numis.geneve]

Very nice...
Museum pieces...
Do you everencounter authentic objects that have been recently modified to have extra decorations soldered on top? What are the biggest giveaway signs except for bad soldering on those pieces?

[Zolotnik]

Hi numis.geneve -

if you collect something, the first thing to do is learn about how authentic objects must look. If you find cigarette cases with soldered applications - they always are later "decorations" - original they always are riveted - exeptions coins. Open the box - if you see no rivets - run!If you know your job one glance is enough to decide yes or no. Or you ask someone knowing....before you buy!

Regards
Zolotnik

[numis.geneve]

Thank you.
Could you please post a photo of the insides of one of your cases?
I would love to educate myself with some authentic examples of the rivets.

[numis.geneve]

Also is it "56" gold most of the time?

[Qrt.S]

No, it needs additional marks. Only "56" proves nothing!

[numis.geneve]

Lol I really need to express myself more clearly. I know 56 means nothing, but that was not at all my question.
I wanted to say "are the rivets and the mountings on top of the silver cigarette case usually made of 14 karat gold?"
But in order to shorten the question I said "is it 56 gold most of the time" and you misunderstood me

[numis.geneve]

Just to be clear I mean when the mountings are yellow in color(:

[Zolotnik]

Hi numis.geneve -

now this turns into a Russian gold - and silversmithing workshop! But maybe you realise that it takes much more than ordering "authentic" fakes from eBay etc....

Here some objects from my collection:












The decorations are often in silver, yellow- or redgold at the same time, enamel, gold coins etc. are common.The rivets are copper (!), a soft material is needed to rivet it.

Here the proof (on a goldmounted sahire cabochon thumbpiece) that the 56 needs always the Kokoschnik!



The different monograms in gold or silver are either handmade (mostly the case) by the jeweller or could be bought already finished in different styles - than they were marked (front or back) according to the laws.













If you consider all the different work that was necessary to finish a certain object in the "Russian way" than you can estimate why fakes always look funny and can be easyly detected by the knowing.

Regards
Zolotnik