Antiques M.S. Rau | Russian Imperial Neoclassical Kalgan Jasper Tazza

This Russian Imperial Neoclassical Kalgan Jasper Tazza, Measuring Nearly 2 Feet Tall And Dated 1888, Hails From The Esteemed Imperial Lapidary Manufactory In Ekaterinburg. A Testament To The World-Renowned Artistry Of Russian Imperial Craftsmen, This Exceptional Treasure Is Itself A Work Of Art.

The Story Behind This Exquisite Tazza Is Deeply Intertwined With The History Of The Imperial Lapidary Manufactory. Founded By Czar Peter The Great In 1721, The First Factory At Peterhof Employed Italian Craftsmen To Work With The Bountiful Resources From The Urals And Siberia. Soon, The World’S Most Desirable Stones Were Being Quarried In Vast Quantities Across Russia Before Being Sent To St. Petersburg, Including Precious Poryphory, Rhodonite, Marble And The Ever-Prized Jasper. The Great Success Of The Peterhof Factory Led To The Establishment Of More Factories In Ekaterinburg, Enabling Locally Trained Stone Cutters To Work On Larger Pieces Of Stone.

In 1885, Vasily Mostovenko Assumed The Role Of General Manager, Heralding A Renaissance For The Imperial Lapidary Manufactory. Under His Leadership, Russian Stone Carving Reached International Acclaim, With Mostovenko Garnering The Prestigious Legion Of Honor Cross At The 1900 Paris Exposition. This Tazza, Bearing The Inscription Imperatorskaia Ekaterinskaia Granilnaia Fabrika 1888 Uprav. V. Mostovenko (The Imperial Ekaterinburg Lapidary Manufactory 1888 Director V. Mostovenko), Is A Shining Example Of His Creative Vision And The Technical Skill Of Imperial Lapidary Manufactory Craftsmen.

The Tazza Is Formed Of Desirable And Very Rare Kalgan Jasper And Boasts Impeccable Carved Details. Scrolled Acanthus Leaves Line The Base, While The Top, Surmounted Upon A Large Fluted Leg, Is Adorned With Roses And Vines. The Lustrous Gray Stone Is Polished To A Mirror-Like Shine. In 2012, A Comparable Pair Of Kalgan Jasper Tazze — Though Much Smaller In Size And Nowhere Near As Elaborate — Sold At Sotheby’S New York For $290,500, Underscoring The Rarity Of The Materials And The Desirability Of Creations From The Imperial Lapidary Manufactory.

Dated 1888

19 5/8” High X 10 1/4“ Diameter

Provenance:
Private Collection
Sale, Sotheby’S New York, 09 June 2014, Lot 254
Private Collection, Pennsylvania
Private Collection, New York
M.S. Rau, New Orleans