Is it Fake or Not? 5

[Smokanabeach]

Numbre 5!



My research: Assayer: Ivan Lebdekin, 1899, Moscou; Maker: To determine

Waiting for your advises! ;-)

[Zolotnik]

Hi Smokanabeach -

Townmark: Moscow 1899-1908
Assayer: Ivan Sergejewitsch Lebedkin 1899
Maker: ИБ (?) Butusov Ivan 1895-1917

Regards
Zolotnik

[Zolotnik]

Hi Smokanabeach -

maybe No 3 and No 5 are from the same maker, compare the pattern - your photos are difficult to read for me. Long distance diagnosis is always a little problematic.

Regards
Zolotniki

[Smokanabeach]

Even if my pics are in very poor quality, your eyes are really efficient Zolotnik! You're right: that's the same hallmark and you find the maker's mark! Congratulations and many thanks again!

As I asked in another of my answers, if you or Child can "explain" a part of your analysis to determine an "authentic" russian silver item, it can be really helpful! I read a lot of post on this forum, but it appears really difficult to me to be sure which one is a good one... If I well understand the posts (I'm not fluent in english, and if writting in represents a huge mountain, reading is also a big challenge!), hallmarks is a first approach to check the authencity of russian silver item. But then... how to proceed?

Thanks for your answer!

I will post another picture of a new object I consider as a good one... Let me know ;-)

Smokanabeach

[Zolotnik]

Hi Smokanabeach -

now the lessons I wanted to avoid are beginning:
To make a long story short, you must get some literature in your language and learn about the marking rules. Then you need a book covering the different towns, assayers and silversmiths. If you have read and understood all this books you must train your eyes to look accurate (forensic) for the smallest detail: is the letter a H or И, a Ш or Щ, etc. So the Cyrillic ABC is a must! Is the cartouche square, rectangular, round or oval. With dot in the middle, up or down. Next is quality: is it possible that this or that silversmith worked so poor? See your last thread.
In a forum you get different opinions - you must decide which one is right!
If you have learned all this it will take some time and effort and you will get some frontline experience - now you will see at once (more or less) if an object is faked or real. 3 things give it away:
1) The marks (wrong form, wrong dates, wrong masters or total phantasy).
2) Wrong material (example: niello/enamel by a master who did not work with niello/enamel).
3) Quality - if the quality is not as good as it should be for certain masters (example: all this Fabergé-, Khlebnikov- or Ovtschinnikov-junk).

Head up and good luck!

Zolotnik

[Smokanabeach]

I got you ;-)

Thank you Zolotnik

Smokanabeach