CENTERPIECE BY SAZIKOV

[ARGENTUM49]

XX

This one is from the Moscow branch. The perforated décor — similar to plique-à-jour in jewelry but on larger scale — every perforation is hand- made. They were the masters of the craft — they could cut off the entire silver ruble leaving only the eagle (for cufflinks or brooches e.g.).
They transferred the pattern to the surface and drilled holes, then introduced small delicate saws and made the perforated décor.It is seen only under 10X magnifying glass.The Imperial eagle seems to be the same everywhere — barely recognizable shape of the eagle. compare the ``eagle`` hallmark on your items, please.Unfortunately, we can rely on pics only. If we could only had the possibility to hold the items in our hands. I will not mind any remarks; I rely on the technique in the first place. Besides, honestly, the items are too long with us from the times when fakes were not common. By the way, what is the earliest date of recorded fakes? Please, don’t mind the story behind those two items. Both of them were brought over here in the 19th century.

Ivan

[piette]

Hi Ivan,
The firm of Sazikov was known for making table centre pieces - Ignatius Sazikov won awards for centre pieces in exhibits.
Regards,
Piette

[ARGENTUM49]

Additional information: the handle is not soldered to the centerpiece. It has three segments with a long silver rod passing through all segments and fixed outside at the bottom with a thick, rectangular, hand made screw, every segment is hallmarked only with СС and 84. There was no place for the full hallmark. If any additional pic is required I will be glad to post them for you.
Once again, please, examine the ``Imperial eagle`` mark on your items. What about the man`s head facing left on the kovsh hallmark. Steel tools for hallmarks are not easy to make and they are expensive, because they are not cast but have to be hand engraved in steel. Therefore, comments given by you ``that digit 4 in 84 is not right``are fully justifeid and reflect the difficulty of making hallmarking tools.It pays only if struck on hundreds of fakes to be profitable.If they are not engraved but cast, the hallmark is not sharp enough.I was given one by a jeweler, a friend of mine, with 900 - he does not make silver jewelry any more and, besides, they buy it in bulk from Italy where it is made on the industrial level.
Ivan

[Silbersammler]

Hi Argentum49,

Russian fakes can be nearly as old as the originals ...... even at the beginning of the 20. Century russian silver was falsified already. So if you believe it is old ..... thats no proof.

Kind regards
Steffen

[Qrt.S]

The picture is a bit blurry but that looks like a correct Sazikov mark. Compare this to the written "Sazikov" in the other thread and you see the difference. But please Ivan, do me a favor and polish the stand. It looks like sh^t in that condition. Silver must shine more than the moon does. By the way ,where is the rest of the pieces from this table stand, the bottles, salt and pepper pots...? Could you show the maker's mark too? Like to know who made it. If there is no maker's mark, the object is imported and assayed by the request of the Russian customs.

Oh yes, assayed by Viktor Savinsky 1859-1894 in Moscow. Not by this non-existing Viktor Savinkov who seems to walk allover.

[Postnikov]

Hi Ivan -
congratulations - the centerpiece is authentic, the quality differences to faked objects are obvious and the marks are as they should be.

The use of proof marks (how and where) was very well explained by Qrt.S in depth and according to the laws in use at that time.

Regards
Postnikov

[ARGENTUM49]

This is exactly what I try to say.The newer version of the``vesta case`` (white sulfur matches could ignite easily; remember cowboys igniting them striking on their boots (funny Holliwood clichee) is so perfectly made that it needed hallmarks at all (only to see who made it).Simply, things like your ``vesta case`` cannot be fake today. Fakers can only spoil the piece adding fake KF marks.
Ivan

[ARGENTUM49]

I suppose there were sugar caster, salt cellar, pepper caster, mustard pot etc. made of crystal glass.
Unfortunately, they are missing!
Ivan

[Postnikov]

Hi all -

CORRECTION

I made a big mistake! All my shown objects under the name of Sazikov are in reality from Saltykov. Sorry for the misinformation!

Regards
Postnikov