It’s not just the London salerooms that are benefiting from the renewed enthusiasm for Russian works of art. The highlight of the sale conducted by David Lay of Penzance on February 28-29 was this late 19th century silver gilt and cloisonné enamel presentation vodka set.
It was consigned for sale by a descendant of the original recipient.
All eight elements of the set bear the mark for the well-known firm of Janaty Sazikov plus Moscow town marks and assay master’s marks for either Lev Oleks (the tray and decanter) or A. Romanov (the cups).
The 11 3/4in (29.5cm) tray is engraved in cyrillic: For Edmond Edmundovitch Emson from colleagues in the Baltic Shipping Company and the Ziboda Engineers, 1873-1903.
Additional roundels include the dates, number of ships engines and boilers, and the cost in roubles of each item for which Edmond Emson was the engineer.
Modestly estimated at £2000-3000, it attracted bids from half a dozen telephones before it sold to a New York buyer at £40,000 (plus 15 per cent buyer’s premium).
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