Russian silver salt cellar (“Salt Throne”), Moscow, 1890
Description
Provenance
Private Collection, Romania
Location
Bucharest, Romania
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Description
A Russian salt cellar of traditional “Salt Throne” type, cast, pierced and engraved, with the back panel forming a stylised architectural support. The form evokes a miniature seat, with the salt compartment placed at the front and the hinged lid rising as a vertical element.
The surface is enriched with engraved ornament and accents in niello, creating a contrast between the dark inlay and the silver ground. The lid is decorated with a traditional verse in relief, reflecting the symbolic and ritual function of such objects within Russian culture.
The interior of the lid bears a Cyrillic inscription:
“БЕЗ СОЛИ БЕЗ ХЛЕБА / ГОЛОДНАЯ ОСЛЯ” (“Without salt and bread, the head is lost / the meal is not complete”), emphasising the importance of bread and salt in acts of hospitality.
Produced in Moscow in 1869, the piece falls within a well-defined category of silver salt cellars associated with domestic ritual and ceremonial table practices between the mid-19th century and the early 20th century.
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