Russian niello box

[Smokanabeach]

Hi everybody,

please find bellow a (snuff?) box (l:8.4cm; L:5.5cm;h:1.9cm) I recently buy:



(Those are hallmarks we can find inside at the top)


(Those are hallmarks we can find inside at the bottom)




I was looking for the maker and assayer of this object and found some hallmarks which could match in PL: 2416 and 2722.
=>As I still not speak and read russian I did not succeed in translating their names and need your help in.

About fake or not, several things call me: why do I have only silver standard (84), maker and asseyer marks at the top inside and silver standard (84), maker or asseyer mark and city mark (Moscow) at the bottom inside?

Despite this, i believe it is not a fake... Do not ask me why, just a feeling... As when you see sterling silver and plated silver: you know which one is the good one...

Thanks for your help!

Don Smoka



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[AG2012]

Hi,
It`s not a fake. In spite of being capable of almost everything they cannot fake traces of old age and natural wear.
Let`s wait for answers regarding the maker.
Regards

[Smokanabeach]

Thank you AG! I said ''i have the feeling'' and thanks to your answer I'm starting to think i beginn to be better recognizing what is fake or not! Used item, Old scene in niello, 84 mark on each added part,... So, 'my hypothesis was it can be from earlier 19th...

To be continuer...

[Qrt.S]

I give you my best shot (in the dark :-))) The assayer is Nikolay Dubrovin (НД) in Moscow 1822-1855 and the maker is ДЛ. Unfortunately this master is unknown to name (atleast to me). He is, anyway, known for making niello snuffboxes.

[AG2012]

Hi,
Unknown maker ДЛ (DL) ``черневая табакерка`` (niello snuffbox) 1828
PL # 2416
Cordialement

[Smokanabeach]

Thanks both for your search!!! I really appreciate (as always with you!)

@Qrt: your ''shot in the dark'' make me think it's time here to take a wine shot!! ;-) Time for apperitiv overthere!!!

[Smokanabeach]

One more thing... (Considering that i don't speak/read russian even if i try to translat PL with a cyrillic alphabet...)

What about this mark (PL 2722):



Ok with you QRT about Dubrovin mark, it match, but the mark I suggest match too, isn't?

Looking forward to read your precious answer!

Don Smoka

[Qrt.S]

That is a maker's mark and too early but on your object it is the assayer's mark (Dubrovin) and the other mark is the unknown maker.

[Smokanabeach]

Ok understood Qrt! Manu Thanks!