- 8
A silver-gilt and enamel cigar case, A. Postnikov, Moscow, 1881
Description
- length: 13cm, 5 1/8 in.
Condition
"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 title of Supplier to the Court of the Grand Dukes was first introduced during the reign of Alexander II. Strict regulations applied to the use of the warrant, its form and configuration, which included the initials of a Grand Duke on an ermine mantle. The title was awarded twice a year, at Christmas and Easter, and to receive it the firms had to undergo a rigid application and selection process, one of the conditions being an eight-year period of continuous supply to the Court. The title was a highly prestigious one and served as advertisement for the company. Grand Duke Vladimir and Maria Pavlovna had several suppliers covering a wide range of goods and services including dress and shoe makers, jewellers, perfumers, milliners and tobacco producers. They set the fashion in St. Petersburg and closely followed European trends.
Andrei Postnikov, who made the present lot in 1881, became Supplier to the Court of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich shortly after he was awarded the title of Supplier to the Imperial Court in the late 1870s.