Russian Silver - Lucky Numbers

Russian Silver and Niello snuff box, Moscow 1834, by Ivan Kaltykov at J.H. Tee Antiques LTD. for $900

The Numbers 84, 88, and 91. These three numbers can make it a happy day if you run across them in your hunt for treasure. But what do they mean?

They aren’t the regular numbers to identify silver and its content. While these numbers do indicate the silver content in Russian silver, they will look foreign to the American buyer. You see, in American Silver, it is customary to see 925 for sterling silver. But on Russian silver, along with the numbers 84,88, and 91, you will see letters of the Russian alphabet stamped on most Russian silver. And you don’t even have to know what the letters mean to make a smart buy.

There are very few Russian Silver items that don't command high prices, and the reason for this is the Russians were perhaps the best silversmiths of all times. . The Faberge company has had no equal. They’ve produced the finest silver ever. The Faberge Eggs, produced for the Royal Family at the time and given as gifts, now command prices in the millions of dollars when they come to market.

However, we aren't here to discuss million dollar items, rather the ones that you might find in your search at garage sales, estate sales and even possibly in the occasional shop. Pieces of Russian silver aren't something that the average person sees every day, so for this reason, it might pass under the radar screen of most people and be there waiting for you to find it. There are fakes out there, but if you recognize high quality, more than likely it is a real piece of Russian Silver. Be sure to find a silver guide book that gives you some of the marks on this silver. The discovery of just one piece of this silver could buy you a whole library of books.

Here are some price examples from Kovels price guide: A Cigar Box 1891 $14,950; Cigarette Case with two tone gold $5,750; Crucifix enameled 1900 $4,600; a pair of plates with stylized leaves and blue enameling 1910 for $14,950. I don't think that I could eat off of this one. But don't get discouraged and think that you can't find one of the items I mentioned above, even though it is possible. There are many items in the $200 to $500 range that will make it possible for you to double your money on Russian Silver.

I have seen some of the most fantastic miniatures made by the best Russian masters that were purchased for just a few dollars by dealers with a sharp eye. You should always pick up any small silver item to check to see if it might be Russian.

At the Chicago Antique Market last year a dealer showed me a picture frame that he had just bought that was one of the most beautiful things that my eyes had ever seen. I ask what he had paid and his answer was “not very much.” This piece was worth $25,000 if it was worth a penny, and I may have under valued it by five fold.
Watch for these odd numbers and also the different Russian letters. They might just sweeten your pot by thousands of dollars.

A good, but rather expensive reference book is Russian Silversmiths Hallmarks. When I checked, there were only 3 left at Amazon. You can get a better price at Abes and there are more copies available.

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