Meaning of number in St Petersburg post 1908 Gold 56 mark

[kiwipaul]

Hi all

Can anyone tell me the meaning of the number "4" in this St Petersburg 2nd Kokoshnik Mark?



Does the "4" indicate the Assayer?

It is on a bracelet that I believe is by Abraham Beilin. I will upload a pic of the bracelet asap.

The "4" lies on its side nearest the outer end of the clasp tongue,
(it doesn't come out so clearly in the pic, so I added a black "4" to show the configuration).

I have seen a very similar hallmark (on a piece by a different maker) with the number 7, on a post 1908 gold bracelet on a well known Romanov jewelry site, however I haven't been able to find this sort of "keyhole" (my description) mark described anywhere and explaining the meaning of the initial digit.

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[Qrt.S]

Hello,
This is a weight mark for gold chains and bracelets. There are 10 of these marks in the size of 3,25 x 1,5 mm (measure your mark!). The marks from left to right: a figure of 1-11 denoting the amount of zolotniks. Note that zolotnik is a weight figure (1 zolotnik is 4,26 gram). Your bracelet carry the figure 4 meaning that the weight of it should be 4x4,26gram (note as 24K). The second mark is the right looking kokoshnik 1908-1927. The third is the fineness mark 56 zolotnik i.e. 583,33/1000 or 14Karat. The last mark is the assay office expressed with a Greek letter.

Now I see a red flag... What Greek letter do you see? I looks a bit like a Greek alpha α but it is in a 45 grades angle!!!! Alpha should, anyway, indicate the assay office of St Petersburg. Then we have the maker. He could be Abram Sholom Beilin on Sadovaya uliza 22 in StP but???
Sorry but I'm a bit suspicious now...would an assay office punch an incorrect mark...I wonder? Correct me if make wrong assumpitions but this is how I see it as for the moment.

[kiwipaul]

Thank you so much Qrt.S that is very interesting, I will weigh the bracelet and post the weight and pics of actual item later today.

Here are links to 2 similar items with the St Petersburg alpha mark at the same 45deg angle, I will presume this is how the punch was formed and mine is correct.


Regarding the identification of maker as Abraham Beilin (Abram Beilin, Beilin and Son) thank you for providing the address.

I can refer you to pics of the same mark on a Jacksons Auction of a match striker misattributed to Andrei Bragin and one year later sold at Sothebys as Beilin, see links below:


The issue of Beilin vs Bragin is discussed here, with interesting info on Abraham Beilin:
http://www.fabergeresearch.com/workmastersframe.php
(about halfway down the page under the entry for Hjalmar Armfelt)

(admin edit - see Posting Requirements )

Thanks again for your info.

[Qrt.S]

No problem, you are welcome, however, I still find it strange that the Greek alpha has the wrong angle. It is an official mark punched by the assay office, but...?
Nonetheless, take my advice and do not count too much on what auction sites tell irrespective of whatever house is in question. Use the information as "indicative info" only. The best thing you can do is to learn and rely on your own eyes and knowledge only and not be misled by anyone's stories and whose main purpose is to sell and only sell to outrages prices genuine or not...
As well keep in mind that there is a hell (sorry) of a lot of Russian fakes sailing on the market. Regarding objects made by Fabergé I can tell you that more than 90% of these objects for sale on internet are more than of dubious origin!

Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm is a respectable person and a friend of mine. Her knowledge is worth more than gold. We have in private discussed these matter many times.

[kiwipaul]

Thanks, here are pics of the bracelet and its weight of 15.43gms.

Apologies for the quality of the pics, they are taken with a cellphone on my office desk.

The mark is 3.25mm long.

Thanks for your cautions about forgeries, I live in New Zealand and it is quite rare to see Russian pieces in our part of the world. However there was a small White Russian community who came out through Harbin and settled in Australia and New Zealand. A couple of years a little Faberge box of impeccable provenance turned up here in household disposal auction.

I collect Art Nouveau jewellery and have handled quite a few pieces. Although this looks quite plain in the pics it is very well made with a clever design and construction, and an understated elegance, and I'm confident it is of the period that we would call Edwardian.

[AG2012]

There are obvious traces of filing reaching almost the half of the link.Sometimes people file to test gold and ruin the piece. Or just badly repaired clasp. In a word, the clap looks strange and seeing it open in detail might help.It could not have left any Russian workshop filed and finished like this.

[kiwipaul]

What you're seeing is just a reflection off the glass top desk. The clasp is nice and square with no filing.

You can see a better pic of the clasp on top of the scale, although that too has a slight reflection off the stainless top of the scale.

Cheers

[kiwipaul]

So you guys are a tough audience, however thank you for your help, great info on the meaning of the digit (a weight figure, 1 zolotnik is 4,26 gram), size of the weight mark for gold chains and bracelets (3,25 x 1,5 mm), and address for Abram Beilin (Abram Sholom Beilin on Sadovaya uliza 22).

Anyway here is another pic of the clasp open:


However I have new line of inquiry because I see Qrt.S is located in Finland and he? has invoked the name of Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm.

She is a person of interest to me because she is a contributor to a book I own about the Finnish jewellers Roland Mellin and Otto Roland Mellin.
This book is about an exhibition of the work of Mellins at Helsinki City Museum in 1991.
Unfortunately almost the whole book is in Finnish and Danish with only small amounts of English translation.

So I will start a new thread with details of this piece by Otto Roland Mellin and perhaps receive some more helpful information from the mother country.

[Qrt.S]

You probaly mean this book

It is not Danish but Finnish, English and Swedish. Don't worry, what important do you want to have translated. I (he :-)) will not translate the whole book but tell me anyway what is of particular interest for you.

Interesting that this book has found its way to your country.

[Qrt.S]

Sorry, forgot, preferably by a PM.

[kiwipaul]

Yes that is the book. I ordered it on-line to help identify the item I have posted here:
http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic ... 21&t=38982

Thanks for your offer of translation, however I think I've deduced the basics of the Mellins' biographies on that link.

If I've made any errors or important omissions please let me know.

[AG2012]

Regarding Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm.
This one is in English:
``The Era of Faberge``
Tampere Museum publications 2006
Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm:
The House of Faberge - Workmasters and Subcontractors, p. 110
Very important subject on subcontractors.