a russian gilded silver and shaded enamel kovsh, ovchinnikov, moscow, circa 1900

of peacock form, the head with crest, the body enameled with curling peacock feathers and stylized flowers and foliage, the interior gilded

some losses and restoration to enamel
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This unusual piece from the firm of Ovchinnikov represents a rare example of the influence of art nouveau design on the traditional Russian form of the kovsh. The ancient shape, which originally functioned as a kind of dipper or ladle, is generally believed to have been based on the form of a swimming bird or a ship. In the late nineteenth century, prominent Russian jewelers experimented with kovshi evoking ducks or cockerels, the birds most familiar from Russian folk arts. Here the traditional kovsh is depicted as the decidedly more exotic peacock, a bird native to Southern India and Ceylon, and the ornament combines the distinct pattern of the peacock feather eye with the more typical stylized foliage reminiscent of seventeenth-century Russian enamels.