A Russian Imperial gem-set gilded silver and niello kovsh, 1676-1682

of oval form with low curving sides and raised pointed handle, the interior engraved with the Imperial double-headed eagle, the breast set with a ruby, the interior of the pointed prow and the top of the handle engraved and decorated with a fine scrolling pattern in niello outlined with seed pearls, the top of the handle also set with a cabochon sapphire, the exterior engraved with four circular shields with the short (malyi) form of Fedor III Alekseevich's royal title in viaz script: By the Grace of God, the Sovereign Tsar and Grand Prince Fedor Alekseevich, Autocrat of All the Russias, the underside engraved in Cyrillic khoromnoi

the interior with some scratches and wear consistent with age, two of the pins holding the seed pearls on the handle replaced
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 on the underside of the offered lot reads khoromnoi, a term indicating that the lavishly decorated and jeweled piece was for everyday use at the court of Tsar Fedor III. Such opulent drinking vessels were used to impress visiting dignitaries with the immense wealth and splendor of the Russian court and employing a jeweled kovsh such as this for the court's daily use would surely have made the point. Fedor III Alekseevich (1661-1682), the eldest son of Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich and Maria Miloslavskaya, ascended the throne in 1676 at the age of 15. His brief reign is notable because it anticipated so many of the innovations of his younger brother, Peter the Great. Educated by Symeon of Polotsk (1629-1680), a poet, dramatist and theologian, he was perhaps the first tsar to be fluent in both Latin and Greek. Understanding the importance of education, he invited foreign scholars to work in Moscow. Fedor III also approved the charter for a project for the Slavic-Latin-Greek Academy in 1682, although it was not established until 1687, well after his death. He introduced a number of important political reforms that undoubtedly paved the way for the numerous changes Peter I would introduce.

With its low walls, wide, almost circular bowl and the small pointed handle, the present kovsh relates in form to the few known surviving kovshi produced by Moscow workshops in the 16th and early 17th centuries, in particular the gold and niello kovsh of Tsar Boris Godunov (see Kremlin Gold: 1,000 Years of Russian Gems and Jewels, Houston, 2000, p. 67).  The combination of niello, seed pearl ornament and gems bears a close resemblance to the kovsh of Mikhail Romanov made in the Moscow Kremlin Workshops in 1618 (see Kremlin Gold, op cit, pp. 70-71). We are grateful to Dr. Ernest Zitser of Duke University for assistance in cataloguing this lot.