Russian Cigarette Case - Bogatyr

[Bill B]

Hi.
I'm new here, and trying to find out what I can about the origin (city, date, assayer, etc) of this piece. I think it's from sometime between 1927 and 1946.

Thanks,
Bill

[Postnikov]

Hi Bill -
This cigarette cases were made between 1954 - 1958 in Moscow by the firm "Moscovskaja Juvelirnaja Fabrika" - this one 1956.

Regards
Postnikov

[Bill B]

Thank you, Postnikov.

[Bill B]

Postnikov (or anyone else),

Is there anything else you can tell me about this case? Is it correct that the date, origin and firm are all contained in the hallmark on the right? Can you isolate which letter/symbol means what? I am intrigued by all this. I notice from other posts that several of you have reference books. Is there anything posted on this site that I could read up about this firm? Were they a large firm? Besides the silver purity and the fact that it is post-Revolution Russia, does the hallmark on the left tell us anything?

Also, as far as the motif, I believe the scene depicted is Ilya Muromets, the Russian bogatyr. Am I correct? Was this a fairly common motif for silver cases? I've seen this motif with older hallmarks (late 19th / early 20th century). So, if mine is from the mid-1950's, the motif and Ilya's story appear to be enduring in Russian culture, and by extension onto cigarette cases.

Thank you all for any information,
Bill

[Postnikov]

Hi Bill -
I do not know, what you want to know exactly. The mark on left shows: 875 (silver content 875/1000), the worker´s head with a hammer on his shoulder (state/assay mark), the greek letter delta, townmark of Moscow, in use 1954-58. The mark on the right shows who made the case in which year: МЮ6, 7, 8, 9, 0,1, 2 = 1956 -1962. MЮ = (lat) MJu = Moskovskaja Juvelirnaja Fabrika.
This is a communistic, massproduction with a traditional motif other than the boring socialistic workers and views of steel kombinats etc. The Bogatyr, the former Russian knight was a often used motiv in Russia - same like the Liberty statue in USA - you find it nearly on everything.
To be blunt: your case is nothing special, massproduced in a communistic state factory in the 50s. Just a time witness how wellmade Russian silver perished...and never will come again.

Regards
Postnikov

[Bill B]

Thank you, Postnikov. This is exactly what I was looking for.
Bill

[Dad]

Hi all.
Bill B, You are right.
The oval mark on left shows: 875, the worker´s head with a hammer on his shoulder, the greek letter delta, townmark of Moscow, in use 1927-53. Since 1954 (07.01) "oval" with the worker´s head isn’t used. The mark on the right shows who made the case: "МЮФ" . Postnikov is right. It’s Moskovskaja Juvelirnaja Fabrika. (Moskow Jevelery Factory). It’s mark (МЮФ) was used before 1946.
Tema about Bogatyr (knight) really very popular tema in Russia. It begins still before 1917 when there was the well-known set "Bogatyrskaya zastava" (Knight outpost). I think you speak about it.
Best Reg..

[Bill B]

Dad,
Are you saying you believe the case was made in or before 1946 (based on the maker's mark)?
Also, does the assayer's mark establish a date range of 1927-1953, or a range of 1954-1958 (which would be inconsistent with the maker's mark if that's pre-1946)?
I might be reading this wrong, but it looked like your information was slightly different than Postnikov's.
Thanks,
Bill

[Postnikov]

Hi Bill -

Dad is right -

the mark on your cigarette case is from 1927 - 1954. Sorry for the mistake!

Regards
Postnikov