Postby Postnikov » Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:59 am
Hi -Qrt.S
you know my opinion about the period between 1917 and 1926.
It is known that all silver manufactering workshops were closed, either why the employees were joining the "worker´s army" on the streets, or the owners fled to Finland, Sweden etc., or were arrested and later shot or were banned to Sibiria - and never came back. After 1917 there was no further use for luxury articles. All the cigarette cases I found (presentation cases to some Tscheka officers, etc) which I can assign 100% to the period 1917 -26 are "left overs" from the old factories - with the known marks of the silversmiths 1908 -17 or earlier. I believe the new gouvernment had more important things to do than to change the assay mark. Then in 1927, when things became a little more normal, they had their "own" assay mark. What I often found were cigarette cases from 1908 - 17 or earlier, which were re -assay marked with the mark from 1927 - the old stamps are mostly scratched - but you still can read them.
The so called propaganda cigarette cases (workers in front of factories, Red Army soldiers on watch etc., always encrusted with a big red star or a red banner in enamel) are all with assay stamps from 1927. I will post a very interesting cigarette case later to harden my point of view.
Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion supported by many years of investigations!
I believe the Lenin order was added later by someone who wanted to make the nice but simple cigarette case a little more valuable. In Russia nobody would put such a high order on a cigarette case. The order is fixed with its screwplate to the case.
Information: All the signatures, jetons, champagner bottles etc., etc. you find on cigarette cases and elsewhere are never soldered - always riveted! If it is soldered (exept coins) it is mostly a total fake or the "accessoires" have been added later.
Regards
Postnikov
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