1888 Russian spoon

[Dirk1966]

I purchased this Russian spoon and am looking for the maker and Assayer

I found on this site that the assay marks И.А are for Ivan Vasilyevich Avdeyev but he worked between 1852 - 1862. So there must be somebody else using the same assay marks as the spoon is made in 1888?

The makers marks HG I have searched for on this site and other sites but not a hint anywhere.

[Qrt.S]

You gonna be surprise over the answer:
Ivan Semyonovich Andreyev (NOTE! Not Ivan Vasliyevich Avdeyev) was one of three mobile assayers. They were ordered to jump here and there where an assayer was badly needed. Ivan Andreyev assayed in Tallinn (Today in Estonia but then a part of Russia) in 1887-1888. Your spoon is made there by master Henrich Gottfried Ferdinad Grünbaum (HG) 1884-1908 in Tallinn. A perfect match.

[Dirk1966]

HI Qrt.S

Many thanks for your reply.
I spend hours searching for other assayers and makers for these marks but nothing came up. The only other one I found was Ivan Andreyevich Ado but he started from 1899 onwards

Can you recommend any good books for these details?

[Qrt.S]

Ther are a few books, but they are rather difficult to find and expensive
Start with the authors:
Postnikova-Loseva-Uljanova
Alur Reinans
Aleksandr Ivanov's green and two blue books.
...
FYI!
For your own good, if you find a book, ask here before you buy it. There are frankly said lousy copies of copies on the market. Many of them are sloppy made containing errors, mistakes, misspellings etc.etc. Another problem is the language. The books i mentioned are in Russia, Estonia and German. I rather not recommend books you might find in English. Anyway, they can be used to a certain point but you have to be very careful with them and recheck the info from other sources. The best advice I can give you is: Ask here!

[Dirk1966]

Many thanks for your information and advice. If a book is in German, I will be able to manage , the other two languages will be a no go , but if I find one I will check here first before buying a book.

Many thanks

[Qrt.S]

The book in German is actually Postnikova's first edition from 1967. Its name is Verzeichnis der Russichen Gold- und Silbermarken, editor Slavisches Institut München 1971/ Boris Rothemund. It is a bit outdated, but better than nothing and many other newer books.