Maria Sokolova - salt cellar

[madej]

Hi.
Salt cellars marked MC and the Kokoshnik mark from 1908-1926 Moscow. Can you say more about the manufacturer?
Regards

[madej]

Hi.
No information?
Regards

[dognose]

Four hours later...........and your patience is exhausted!

Why so demanding?

Trev.

[madej]

Hi Trev
I'm a bit impatient, but of course I'll wait as long as it takes for an answer.
However, I hope not too long ;)
Regards

[Dad]

I think, it's workshop of Maria Semyonova.
Original good items.

[Qrt.S]

OK here is the answer:
Yes, the mark Cyrillic MC is Maria Sokolova, but she is not the maker irrespective of the punch. She is the daughter of her deceased father. In imperial Russia widows and daughters could apply from the assay office for the right to punch with their own punches after the death of husband or father. The maker is some worker (or apprentice?) in the workshop. Daughter Maria Sokolova run her father's workshop and as said maintained the right to punch, but she has not made anything because she was not a goldsmith only the "boss". There were no female goldsmiths in Russia on those days. Women were supposed to be home and raise the children and manage the home!!!

[Qrt.S]

Sorry Maria Semyonova of course, my fault.

[madej]

Well thank you. So is this just so much information? So we assume that it is silver from Semonova's workshop and not Sokolova's? In the network I found almost identical salt shakers signed as Sokolova, that's why I suggested it. Do we have Semenova's marks on another object for comparison?

[Dad]

The silver and copper workshop of M Sokolova produced mainly religious items from media, later from silver. Silver household items are almost never found. The annual turnover is not big.
Unlike the factory of Maria Semenova, who inherited from her father (Vasily Semenov) a large-scale production of expensive household silver. But, if Vasily Semenov became famous for his niello silver items, then his daughter paid a lot of attention to art polychrom cloisonne enamel on silver.

[madej]

Thank you.
Was the workshop successful or was it one of the many?

[Silverstone]

Hi madej,

here are some more informations about Maria Semeonova - source: Pushkin Antiques, London.

Maria Semeonova (1896-1917)

In 1896 Maria inherited the company founded by his father Vasilij Semionovich Semionov in 1852 and she was entitled
to enter her own mark, ‘MS’ in Cyrillic.
Under Maria’s direction and thanks to a skilled team of craftsmen the company flourished, by 1905 it counted 100 employees.
Her workshop was well-known for the outstanding quality of its enamelled artworks, mostly in the traditional Russian style,
although Art Nouveau influences are evident in later pieces.
It produced mainly small enamelled objects, especially spoons and kovshs, typically in violet, green and white tones
and often decorated with round turquoise pearls.
Although she never held the Imperial warrant, Semeonova’s workshop supplied important firms in Moscow and St. Petersburg such as Fabergé.

Regards
Silverstone

[madej]

Hi Silverstone.
Thanks for the answer.
I've read it before, but I would like to know where this information comes from?
Regards

[Silverstone]

Dear madej,
please read my text from A to Z.

Regards
Silverstone

[madej]

Dear Silvertone
Yes, I understand.
You cited the source of Pushkin Antiques, and I would like to know where they got this information from.

[Silverstone]

Hi madej,

Alexander Pushkin told me this evening:
„We wrote this text a long time ago, I‘m afraid, we don‘t know the source anymore.“

Regards
Silverstone

[madej]

Hi. Silverstone
Thanks.
Regards

[Mart]

«…Under Maria’s direction and thanks to a skilled team of craftsmen the company flourished, by 1905 it counted 100 employees….»
Indeed, such a number (100) is given in 1905, but only in 1905. Both before 1905 and after, the number of employees is usually 25-35. In 1916, only 8.
«…In imperial Russia windows and daughters could apply from the assay office for the right to punch with their own punches after the death of husband or father….»
Until about the middle of the 19th century, the workshop could only be opened by someone who was a silversmith himself. Then almost any person with a rare exception.

[madej]

Hi Mart.
Thank you for your answer.
Regards