1852 Imperial Russian 84 Silver Orthodox Hanging Icon Lampada, St. Petersburg

Details

Description

An exceptional mid-19th-century Imperial Russian Orthodox hanging icon lamp, or lampada, crafted in 84-zolotnik silver and assayed in St. Petersburg … Read more An exceptional mid-19th-century Imperial Russian Orthodox hanging icon lamp, or lampada, crafted in 84-zolotnik silver and assayed in St. Petersburg in 1852.

The finely formed silver vessel features a rounded lobed body, pierced diamond-lattice gallery, applied scrolling suspension mounts and a pendant-form lower finial. Three long chains rise to an ornamental suspension fitting and hanging ring, creating an elegant and highly sculptural profile.

The hallmark group includes the Imperial Russian “84” silver standard, equivalent to .875 fineness; the St. Petersburg city mark; and the Cyrillic assay initials “А.М.”. The assay mark is probably associated with Aleksandr Nikolayevich Mitin, a documented St. Petersburg assay master active from 1842 to 1877. The separate silversmith’s mark is worn and remains unidentified.

Lampadas were traditionally suspended before icons in Russian Orthodox churches, chapels and private devotional interiors.

A rare, fully hallmarked example of Imperial Russian ecclesiastical silver from the reign of Nicholas I, equally compelling as a collector’s object or as a dramatic addition to a curated interior. See less