Grachev Brothers

(1873 - 1917)

In the centre of the lid, there is a hand-painted miniature with polychrome underglaze enamel depicting a view of Moscow's Red Square, recognizable by the Church of St. Basil, built between 1555 and 1561 by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and the monument to Minin and Pozharsky. The Church of St. Basil is famous for its vivid colors and distinctive architectural structure with eight main domes, the tallest central one topped with a gilded Orthodox cross. All domes are adorned with spiral, checkerboard, and striped patterns. The church’s façade, also represented in the enamel depiction on the box, is made of red and white bricks with golden details and richly decorated arches.

Red Square was originally called "Trgovaja Ploščad'" (Market Square), as it hosted a bustling city market. Around the 17th century, the term "Krasnaya" came into use to designate the main square, reflecting its architectural significance and beauty. The square features the church on one side and, at its center, the statue of Minin and Pozharsky, representing Kuz'ma Minin and Prince Dmitrij Pozharsky, national heroes who led the resistance against Polish invaders in 1612. Minin, bare-chested with an outstretched arm, points toward the enemy, while Pozharsky, clad in armor, holds a sword, as depicted in the scene portrayed on the box.

The box features two hinged side handles shaped like horseshoes and rests on four triangular feet, also decorated with multicolored enamel.

Hallmarked with the multi-funcional hallmark for silver at a fineness of 84 zolotniks (875/1000) used in St. Petersburg, from 1908 to 1926, along with the mark of the Grachev Brothers' workshop (1873-1917) in Cyrillic under Imperial Warrant.