www.925-1000.com

Hi all -

I have several Silver/Niello objects in my collection made by the to me unknown maker ЛК (LK) from Kiew. Does someone know who he is? He had an big output - so he must have owned a larger firm or factory. Any help welcome!





Regards
Zolotnik

Hi -
forgot to ad the original mark



Regards
Zolotnik

Zolotnik, you present a very interesting mystery. Unfortunately I find very little information of Kiev silversmiths in both Postnikova and Ivanov. One interesting note in Postnikova, most hallmarks beginning with the letter Л are unknown masters. Those identified have names such as Laz, Leiser, Lev, Larion, Luka, Luisa, Leiba, Loren. These do not look like common Russian male names. There is a high probability the maker of your items is either non-Russian male or Russian female.
I found 3 masters mentioned in Ivanov using the initials Л К in this time period.

#1880 Katz, Leiser Sallmannovich Owner of gold and silverware shop, petty bourgeois, mentioned in 1909. St. Petersburg.
Initials on hallmark: Л К, Л З К

#1926 Koster, Luisa Henrietta Jewelry trade, mentioned in 1898: B Lubyanka, Belyayev's house. Moscow.
Initials on hallmark: Л К, Л Г К

#2232 Kupferbeger, Leiba Gold and silversmith mentioned in 1908, St. Petersburg.
Initials on hallmark: Л К,

Is it possible one of these silver masters moved to Kiev? I am thinking 1917 would have been a good year to move. I only list these masters as a starting point for more research.
Good luck.

Hi silvercollector99 -

thank you for your reply. All the objects I own (umbrella/cane handles, matchbox covers, cigarette cases and napkin rings) from this silversmith/maker, are all made in the rather crude niello technique used for Kafkas/Jalta souvenirs. All are assayed in Kiew between 1908 -17. The mark is known, the name unknown, lost or forgotten. According to the numerous objects in my and others collections I assume that this firm was very successful selling its products. But no name....







Thanks again
Zolotnik

This is indeed an interesting question. Unfortunately I don't have an answer to it only some minor comments.
You cannot find any masters working in Kiev in Ivanov. It only covers Moscow and St Petersburg.

There were no female masters in Imperial Russia. In those days It was totally out of question that a woman could have educated her to be a master (or anything else generally speaking).
However, there are female names like Maria Adler, Maria Semjonova, Jenny Väkevä, Elisabeth Thieleman and a few more but none of them were skilled goldsmiths/masters. They were widows of daughters who owned/lead the workshop only.

About the mentioned forenames. The following ones are genuine Russian names: Lev, Larion, Luka, Leiser (? you probably mean Laser). They are male names. All the others are foreign names.

...are all made in the rather crude niello technique used for Kafkas/Jalta souvenirs.

I've seen such items offered for sale all over the internet (often with the exact same initials) and long been suspicious of the crude niello. So is that sort of niello quality really the norm/to be expected on Kavkaz souvenirs from the early 20th Century?

Hi finnclouds -

I can only speak about my observations over the dekades:
In the Caucasus region were numerous small silversmiths/workshops which made these "souvenir" articels for the "tourists", spending their vacations there. This articles/objects were made in a much more cruder style than than the other, from Moscow or St. Petersburg known niello objects. Because of the interesting market, other firms (not local) participated by delivering their goods to the Caucasus region (Moscow, St. Petersburg, etc. ) - but they chose the same crude "local" style. The reason? I think the "tourists" expected this kind of quality from the "wild" Caucasus. Some examples for better understanding:

Niello "Caucasus"/tourist style:









Niello "City" style:









Just to prevent never ending discussions: this is my personal opinion, based on year long observations, numerous real existing objects and not hardened by some written files, ukaz´s or personal order of the Czar!!

Regards
Zolotnik

Thanks, Zolotnik!

That settles one of my questions about Kavkaz souvenirs I see on the net. Given the abundance of Russian fakes offered for sale, it's getting hard to know what the original quality was supposed to be like. Nope, not easy to go a museum and see examples of real Kavkaz souvenirs where I live now. :-) And nope, I'm not investing in any. This was purely out of academic interest for me. Glad you posted the thread.

The examples in your other thread are lovely.

Hi finnclouds -

this ЛК firm really made many, many different things - it´s polluting my collection.....a pity that the name is not known!
Here a page turner:





Regards
Zolotnik

Zolotnik wrote:Hi finnclouds -

this ЛК firm really made many, many different things - it´s polluting my collection

Regards
Zolotnik

Polluting??? I'll take it for my own collection if you want ;-)