Posts: 289
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 10-23-2001 06:08 PM            

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[01-0473]

I've just purchased a large Russian silver goblet with hallmarks for 1908-17. It's a bit outside my usual area but I bought it because it's an especially handsome example, with an almost Kandinsky-esque engraved abstract design covering one side. Way out of the usual league of homely Russian goblets and beakers.

I don't have any reference book on Russian maker's marks and wondered if anyone was familiar enough with pre-revolutionary silversmiths that they could tell me who made my goblet. The maker's initials are "BrZ" in Cyrillic characters.

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posted 10-24-2001 10:11 PM            

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The hallmark photo is not great, I know, but those 1908-17 Russian marks are devilishly small.....

The maker's mark consists of three letters. I don't know Russian but (thanks to a couple of trips to Moscow, and the necessity of reading the Metro maps there) I do know the Cyrillic alphabet. The large letter on the left (which looks like an "F" in the photo) is actually a "B" with the top loop cut off, which is the Russian "B." The small letter in the middle is "P", which is the Russian "R." The letter on the right is like a "3", which is the Russian "Z."

That's why I described it in my original post as "BrZ."

I hope this will help SMP readers to identify the mark.

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Registered: May 2001

posted 10-26-2001 05:07 PM            

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Hi,

It might be easier to see the marks if you light a match under them, just until soot forms, then take a piece of scotch tape and cover the marks. Rub the tape down well, when you remove the thape you can put it on a piece of paper and will have an exact copy of the marks. This process wil not harm the silver and any soot left over can be washed off with regular soap or silver polish. I hunted through my book "Guide to Russian Silver Marks" by Paul Paulson, unfortuantely no matches.

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posted 10-27-2001 10:31 AM            

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Thank, Louise ... you're right, that soot method is a good one for reading illegible hallmarks, one that I've used before. In this case, though, I can read the mark just fine -- it's just a question of attributing it. It's starting to sound like my goblet may be by an unlisted maker.

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Registered: Jan 2005

posted 02-27-2005 08:10 AM            

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The maker of the goblet is: Sacharowa I. W. in Moscow, working from 1896 to 1905.
The mark is BRZ, BR = bratja = brothers, Z is pronounced like S.
Sacharowa was the widow of one of the Sacharow brothers Sergej Iwanowitsch and Wasilij Iwanowitsch Sacharow, whose silverfactory was run by her after his death.
The mark of the brothers: I.B.Z.C Ja (in Latin).
Hope that helps
Sazikov2000

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posted 03-04-2005 12:16 AM            

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Sazikov, thanks very much for your answer to my question ... three and a half years after I posted it!

In the interim, I gave the goblet as a gift to a relative, but I will let him know about the maker's identity.

I suppose I was wrong in identifying those hallmarks (per Tardy, I think -- hardly an infallible source) as post-1908?

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posted 03-04-2005 09:59 AM            

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You are right: The hallmark was in use for the years 1908 - 1917.
But this Woman Sacharowa (and her employees) worked in the years from 1896 to 1905. When the goblet was sold it was hallmarked. So your goblet was sold between ealiest 1908 and latest 1917. But it was made somewhere between 1896 and 1905...The firm BRZ was no mini enterprise, therefore they had stocks of the silver they manufactured.
Sazikov2000

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posted 03-04-2005 10:36 AM            

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Very interesting! Thanks for the further information. It's people like you who make these Forums often worthwhile despite everything else.

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