Postby Zolotnik » Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:20 am
Hi -
Pavel Ovtschinnikov is one of the major Russian artists and therefore very often faked! Whenever one see his mark, a close inspection is important. Since the fakers learned how to produce "real" marks with a sense, it is double difficult to distinguish good from bad.
The marks on your spoon look nearly really authentic compared to existing objects, but...we need to look a little into the business of P. Ovtschinnikov to understand:
Firm of goldsmiths founded in 1853 by Pavel Akimovitsch Ovtschinnikov, alongside Fabergé the most important in Russia. The business was carried on after the founder´s death by his sons Mikhail, Aleksandr, Pavel and Nikolaj and survived until the Revolution. In 1873 the business had 173 workmen and in1881 300, making it larger than any of its competitors at that period. Its production was correspondingly large. for the training of young craftsmen the firm had set up a school in Moscow, which at times had over 150 pupils. In 1873 a branch with its own workshop was set up in St. Petersburg. The firm received the Imperial Warrant in 1883 (!) - your spoon was assayed 1880, the Imperial Warrant is already punched!!! 3 years too early!
Ovtschinnikov was the first business to devote itself entirely to the manufacture of articles in Russian national style. Its cloisonné, champlevé and plique-à -jour enamelware is outstanding and won the firm first prizes at every important Russian exhibition, for instance at the Manufacturing Exhibition of 1865 and the All-Russian Exhibition of 1882 in Moscow. It also exhibited at every world fair and in particular earned honourable mention at those in Chicago in 1893 and Paris in 1900. The Cartier archives in Paris show that from 1904 to 1906 Ovtschinnikov supplied this firm with articles of semi-precious stone.
Back to your spoon:
A firm famous for their excellent and outstanding articles sell a simple silverspoon, stamped with the Imperial Warrant it did not have at that time! Super!
The fakers did not make their homework! The spoon is a fake - Juke already stated that!
Regards
Zolotnik