A PAIR OF RUSSIAN ORLETZ RHODONITE AND KALGAN JASPER TAZZE ON PEDESTALS CIRCA 1860, BY THE EKATERINBURG IMPERIAL LAPIDARY WORKS

The combination of these two characterful Russian hardstones - Orletz rhodonite and Kalgan grey jasper - result in charming objects which would be highly attractive for collectors and visitors to Russia. In the mid-19th century, with many wealthy travellers completing the Northern Grand Tour, which included Russia, and, who would be dazzled by the monumental hardstone objects in the Hermitage and great aristocratic palaces. Demand grew for smaller versions of these treasures admired and examples of drawings from the Imperial State Archive for similar pieces exist, such as the one illustrated here (fig.1). Rhodonite and jasper, both found in the Ural mountains, were particularly employed in the Ekaterinburg Imperial Lapidary Works and Orletz rhodonite, with a deeper and stronger colour than regular rhodonite was saved for pieces of the best quality.