SILVER CIGARETTE CASE WITH GILDING, CLOISONNÉ AND EN PLEIN ENAMEL

The lid is adorned with a miniature en plein enamel painting depicting a peasant girl holding a sickle against a backdrop of a sunlit wheat field. This scene is more than a genre motif—it symbolizes the labor of the Russian peasantry, idealized in late 19th-century culture. The image is executed with remarkable detail, combining realism and lyricism, typical of the Russian enamel tradition. The enamel miniature is set within an oval frame decorated with sinuous vegetal scrolls in bright cloisonné enamel. The use of vivid hues—blue, turquoise, cobalt, green, and white—against a gilded background enhances the composition’s vibrancy and ornamentation. The reverse of the case mirrors this style, featuring floral scrollwork around a central cartouche likely intended for an inscription or monogram. This work exemplifies the key traits of the Moscow enamel school: the fusion of painting and cloisonné, fine execution, and a harmonious balance between utility and artistic value. Such cigarette cases were often commissioned as prestigious gifts and were produced in small numbers for wealthy clients. Marks:Maker’s mark: initials JFA (Latin) in a rectangular cartouche, identifying Ivan Fyodorovich Andreev, active in Moscow in the second half of the 19th century.Assay mark: AR above the date 1887—an unidentified Moscow assay master, likely Arkady Romanov (active 1888–1894).State hallmark: 84 silver standard (8751000), Moscow city mark — Saint George on horseback, within a rectangular shield with chamfered corners. Dimensions:Length — 11.3 cmWidth — 7 cm Weight:246 grams Provenance:Christie’s London, 9 June 2009, Lot 150.

Estimate:£6,693.75

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