Object Description
This Russian decorative beaker is crafted from vermeil (silver-gilt) and plique-à-jour enamel. The cylindrical beaker tapers from top to bottom, the body of the beaker formed from filaments of fine twisted vermeil wire, between which is inset clear, tinted enamel. The plique plique-à-jour enamel is wrought into a variety of forms, including scrolling foliate, flower buds, and figurative elements, including birds and, most distinctively, a human male. The colours used throughout are strong tones of blue, red, and yellow, granting the enamelwork a striking and vibrant character—especially so when light passes through the transparent cells.
The beaker is signed to the base ‘Made by P. Ovchinnikov and Sons’.