Lot 245
  • 245

A hardstone tazza, Imperial Lapidary Manufactory, Ekaterinburg, 1888

Estimate
100,000 - 150,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • hardstone
  • height 51cm, 20in.
carved of Kalgan jasper in neo-Classical taste, the bowl with a relief frieze of roses below a stiff leaf border, the fluted stem and spreading foot with acanthus and lotus borders, the top of the base inscribed in Russian 'The Imperial Ekaterinskaya Lapidary Manufactory 1888 Director V. Mostovenko'

Condition

Excellent condition, with a few very small scattered chips. The column very slightly loose on the base.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

The Imperial Lapidary workshops, established by Peter the Great in 1721 under the management of predominantly Italian craftsmen, faced not inconsiderable logistical difficulties.  The richest deposits of semi-precious stones were in the Urals and the even more distant Altai mountains in Eastern Siberia, with the factory itself was at Peterhof to the south west of St Petersburg.  Facilities for the cutting and polishing of larger pieces of stone by locally trained craftsmen were eventually developed at the south eastern tip of the Urals in Ekaterinburg and Kolyvan in Novosibirsk.

In 1885, at the age of thirty-six, Vasily Mostovenko became general manager of the Ekaterinburg Manufactory.  At the time, the factory was in a dilapidated state with collapsed flooring and almost worn-through machines and tools.  Under his tenure, which ended in 1911, Mostovenko sought to improve working conditions and simplify the production process.  By introducing new stylistic elements and re-opening the school for drawing and modelling, the Ekaterinburg Factory soon became a symbol of national pride.  At the 1900 Paris exhibition, the Russian stone-carving industry was represented by a magnificent square metre mosaic map of France for which Mostovenko was decorated with the Knight Commander Cross of the Legion of Honour. 

For a pair of similar tazze, please see Sotheby's New York, 19 April 2012, lot 17.