Vishniakov Manufacture, Circa 1900 — Pair Of Lacquered Papier-mâché Napkin Rings

Vishniakov Manufacture.
Pair of black-lacquered papier-mâché napkin rings – polychrome painted decoration, one depicting a horse-drawn sleigh travelling through the snow and the other a dining scene; gilt-painted interiors, presented in their original cardboard boxes with labels.
Russia. Circa 1900.
H_4.3 cm W_5.5 cm D_5.5 cm
Very good condition.

Founded in the early nineteenth century near Moscow, the Vishniakov Manufacture was one of Russia’s most renowned workshops for the production of artisanal papier-mâché lacquerware, celebrated for its traditional genre scenes and depictions of Russian popular life. The Vishniakov workshops, located in the Moscow region, produced a wide range of lacquered papier-mâché objects, including boxes and tableware, often decorated with scenes of everyday life and traditional motifs.

This pair of napkin rings, representative of the production of lacquered tableware at the turn of the century, is distinguished by the delicacy of its miniature painting and the remarkably well-preserved condition of its original stamped boxes.