Russian enamel by Pavel Ovchinnikov’s firm The Russian jeweler and industrialist Pavel Ovchinnikov initiated the revival of Russian enamel in the nineteenth century. Pavel Ovchinnikov’s firm, founded in 1851, had annual revenue of more than 800,000 rubles, and manually processed more than 4,800 kg of silver per year by the end of the century. According to 1893 data, the firm had 130 employees and 60 apprentices that year. A branch of the company was opened on Bolshaya Morskaya Ulitsa in St. Petersburg in 1873, in the most fashionable district of the city. The company factory in St. Petersburg produced high-quality silverware. Pavel Ovchinnikov became a supplier to the Imperial Court In 1881, and his sons, who were his successors, the eldest of which was Michael, kept that title in 1896. Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy, honored P. Ovchinnikov at the Vienna exhibition of 1873 by giving him permission to be named a Supplier to His Majesty. P. Ovchinnikov’s Firm, which at the time held the leading market position, was the first began to producing “richly enamelled pieces in the old Russian style”, such as kovshes, dishes, goblets and grace cups (bratina), chiseled from a single piece of metal in the so-called “repousse” technique. The works with enamel on filigree done by the Ovchinnikov Firm are distinguished by fine ornamentation of exquisite figures, “artistic perfection” in every detail, and a rich and harmonious range of colors without being too gaudy. Source: fsv.ru posted by Y
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 21:00:00 +0000