Do you get Russian duty Dodgers?

[42jbb]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about duty dodging in Russia. I have seen a teapot with what look to be real marks from Moscow from the mid 18th century but the teapot looks 1830s, the teapot is only marked on the base, which it shouldn't be from that period. I think some has used a hallmarked piece of silver from a salver or a similar large flat object and let the marks in to the base of the teapot.

Is this a modern faker or a contemporary duty dodger working in Russia?

I am sorry I don't have any photos of the teapot. It was a bachelor's teapot.

If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them.

[AG2012]

Hi,
Cannot help with this particular case without images, but generally speaking, there must have been unscrupulous silversmiths in spite of strict legislation in Russian Empire. There was strict legislation in UK, too, but duty dodging practice is well known. It would be scarcely credible Russians solved the problem at the time.Victorian prisons were not better place than Siberia.
Have seen Russian silver with transposed genuine marks; on close inspection there were well hidden and polished solder lines and hammered back, meaning entire objects were made with marks taken from elsewhere.
Regards

[42jbb]

Thank you, AG2012 you have been very helpful. It is interesting to see that duty dodging was an international practice.

Kind Regards,

jbb

[AG2012]

Forgot to mention;there is modern term `конструктор`` (constructor) for silver assembled from parts taken from various pieces and soldered together. Marks are genuine but transposed. Transposing marks to enameled pieces is impossible,though. At very high temperatures needed for hard soldering enamel would crack.The same with faked marks, cannot be struck on the back of enamel.

[Aguest]

I have a similar question related to the "Austro-Hungarian Import Mark" ::: I have only seen this mark on Russian silver, but wouldn't it be easy for silver to have penetrated the borders of the Austro-Hungarian empire without receiving this mark? I have only seen this hallmark once, so I assume it would be a rather rare hallmark. I guess the question is about dodging the import and export marks. In general, the import and export marks seem rather rare, so I just wondered how much duty-dodging was really going on....

Austro-Hungarian Import Mark:

[AG2012]

Hi,
This mark is actually very common, particularly in the countries that once belonged to Austria- Hungary Empire.It`s commonly seen on imported German silver.There is German silver with reputable Austrian retailers` marks and no import mark. It`s difficult to judge the trade at the time from today's perspective. I suppose individual pieces could be easily transferred across the border, but having them illegally on shelves was another issue.
Duty dodging was actually done to avoid duties paid to assay offices.For example, duty paid on salt cellar and then back in the workshop the marks transposed to much heavier teapot.

Regards