Russian Tula Steel Money Box, 1850s

Russian Tula steel money box, 1850s.

A cylindrical steel money box with a hinged lid, pierced with a narrow slot for coins and fitted with a hasp for a lock. The lid, formed with a gently raised rounded rim, is ornamented with floral sprays executed in delicate metal inlay.

The body is encircled by luxuriant hanging garlands of flowers and leaves, while the upper and lower edges are framed by fine ornamental bands.

This piece belongs to the tradition of Tula decorative metalwork, produced by armourers who, alongside weapons, made a wide range of elegant domestic objects in steel. By the late 18th and 19th centuries, Tula had developed a distinctive school of artistic metalworking, celebrated for forging, engraving, overlay and inlay.

The State Hermitage Museum holds an important collection of Tula ornamental steelwork, including domestic objects and furniture made by Tula armourers in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Origin:
Russia, Tula.

Period:
1850s.

Material:
Steel, tin, brass, copper.

Technique:
Forged and inlaid metalwork.

Dimensions:
6.5 x 6.6 x 6.6 cm.

Weight:
Not provided.

Condition:
Age-related wear, patina and surface marks. The condition is shown in the photographs.