Saint Petersburg 1856, Pair Of Fruit Stands , Carl Adolf Seigel, Solid Silver, 84 Zolotnik

A magnificent pair of Alexander II period fruit bowls on stems, crafted from 875% silver (84 zolotniks). They unscrew into two parts between the base and the bowls. The interiors of the bowls retain traces of a vermeil layer, most of which has now disappeared. In the center of each bowl, three intertwined capital letters, ADV, are visible. Each piece is hallmarked with the date 1856, the assayer's initials, the number 84 for the silver fineness (875%), and the maker's mark CAS for Carl Adolf Seigel, a German-born silversmith and jeweler born in 1820 who worked in Saint Petersburg from 1846 to 1876. Abundant decorations of vine leaves and bunches of grapes are quite common in his work. According to the archives, he employed up to 20 people, including apprentices. The pair is in excellent condition and weighs 1225 grams