1888 Imperial Russian Silver Flatware Set - 209 Pieces

Description

An Extensive Russian Silver and Silver-Gilt Flatware Service in Original Fitted Case
Karl Freidrich Spandikov, St. Petersburg, 1888. Imperial Romanov … more An Extensive Russian Silver and Silver-Gilt Flatware Service in Original Fitted Case
Karl Freidrich Spandikov, St. Petersburg, 1888. Imperial Romanov Silverware.

It is known that Karl Spandikov worked with Sazikov and received an award for his work following the All-Russia Industry and Art Exhibition in Moscow in 1882
Pieces by him have sold through Christie’s & Sotheby’s and are in Russian Museums. Including a charger made for Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria in the same year this flatware set was made.

The steel blades are marked with imperial double headed eagle, and are made by Varypaev, who was court supplier and made pieces for the Tsar.

Tumultuous times after the Russian Revolution when the victorious Bolsheviks institutionalized terror as they tightened their grip on a devastated country. Silver would have been destroyed for its excessive opulence and monetary value. Many aristocrats were killed or driven into exile taking with them whatever precious possessions they could. Many who stayed behind – the "former people", as the Bolsheviks called them – perished in the purges or survived by concealing their origin. Many of the aristocrats who were lucky enough to escape with some of their treasures ended up in France notably the Cote D'Azur and Paris. To survive in their new homeland many had to sell some or all of the treasures that they managed to smuggle out of Russia. This flatware was very likely part of this unfortunate legacy.

Engraved script Cyrillic monogram throughout, comprising:
24 dinner knives
24 luncheon knives
23 dessert knives
24 dinner forks
24 luncheon forks
24 tablespoons
24 teaspoons
24 serving spoons
12 coffee spoons
1 large serving spoon
1 soup ladle
1 sauce ladle
1 fish server
1 two-piece salad serving set
209 total pieces

Length of dinner knife 10 1/2 inches. less