Russian Silver Alexander III Salt Throne by Sazikov, St. Petersburg, circa 1880

Of typical Old Russian design this rare and distinctive silver salt cellar in the shape of a throne is from the Romanov era, period of Tsar Alexander III. The surface simulates wooden bark, the hinged lid and pierced back decorated with star, heart and zigzag motifs recalling Pan Slavic designs, the base of trompe l’oeil texture, a technique which made Sazikov famous.

2 ¾ x 2 ¾ in. (7 x 7 cm.) height and top of chair back.

Supplier to the Imperial court and founded during the reign of Catherine the Great in the center of Moscow, Sazikov was one of the earliest silver firms in Russia. In the 1820s Sazikov introduced historicism in Russian silver by producing objects with historical motifs or imitating ancient styles. Decades before Fabergé, the firm excelled in the Style Russe and won great acclaim in Russian and international exhibitions.