A Russian Gilded Silver and Shaded Large Enamel Beaker, Ovchinnikov, Moscow, circa 1890

the tall beaker, in the form of a traditional stopa, is enameled with elaborate scrolling flowers and foliage in varying shades of blue, orange, and green, also with naturalistic birds set among the blooms and applied cables representing vines, all against a stippled gilt ground, with dated presentation inscription inside the rim

Mattia Battistini
Collection of the late Berthe David-Weill

some losses and restoration to the 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.

The inscription inside the rim, "A Monsieur Mattia Battistini Souvenir de Moscou 1900," reveals that this impressive beaker was a gift to Italian baritone Mattia Battistini (1856-1928). After debuting in Rome in 1878, Battistini toured throughout Europe and South America, including a visit to Moscow in 1888. He shortly thereafter established himself a regular figure on the stages of the exclusive imperial theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg and toured Russia for over twenty seasons. For a nearly identical beaker by Ovchinnikov presented by the Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich to the Persian Prince Rukhnaddin Mirza, currently in the collection of the State Historical Museum, Moscow, see Russkie emali XI-XIX vv., Moscow, 1974, pp. 204-205, no. 109 and O.B. Strugova, et al, Russkii stil. Sobranie Gosudarstvennogo Istoricheskogo muzeia, Moscow, 1999, pp. 176-177, no. 426.