
Pushkin’s Blog
Important Silversmiths - JC Klinkosch
Joseph Carl von Klinkosch was one of the finest Viennese silversmiths of the late 19th century. He apprenticed in his father's workshop between 1825 and 1839 and became a certified silversmith in 1844.
Important Silversmiths - Kwong Hing Loong & Co
Kwong Hing Loong & Co is one of the most remarkable Chinese Export Silver retailers. The firm occupied large premises both in Hong Kong and Singapore, where they manufactured and retailed high-quality silver and gold jewellery, silverware, and watches of all kinds.
Important Silversmiths - Würbel & Czokally
The respectable firm Würbel & Czocally was founded in Vienna by Vincenz Czokally in 1864. Vincenz Czokally specialized in centrepieces, tankards, candelabras, objects of vertu in the late Historicism style. Inspired by the Neo-Baroque motifs, Szokally works were highly appreciated at the Court of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria.
Important Silversmiths - Huang Qiu Ji
Huang Qiu Ji was an important silversmith in Shanghai and Beijing, whose outstanding enamel silver works had left a significant mark in Chinese silver design. According to Chinese Export Silver expert Adrien Von Ferscht, Huang Qiu Ji (original Cantonese name is Wong Kau Gei) is considered to be one of the most favoured Chinese silver marks nowadays (A. Von Ferscht, Chinese Export Silver 1785-1940, 4th edition 2015).
Important Silversmiths - Ivan Saltykov
As is common with the Imperial Russian mid-level workshops not much is known about the silversmith Ivan Saltykov (in Russian Иван Салтыков). Nowadays his high-quality silverworks are much appreciated. His mark is sometimes mistaken for the mark of Ignaty Sazikov.
The Art of Snuff
Discovered in the New World, tobacco was first introduced in Europe at the beginning of the 16th century, but only in the mid-1500s smoking quickly gained popularity. In the 17th century, a pulverized tobacco for inhaling (snuff) became a fashionable custom among the nobility and upper classes at the expense of pipe-smoking. The snuff fame spread from the French Royal Court to England, Scotland, Ireland, and throughout Europe, and even as far as Japan, China and later the Russian Empire.
Important Silversmiths - Woshing
Woshing was an important manufacturing and retailing silversmith in Shanghai and Canton. Common mistakes in the transliteration of Chinese silver marks in English caused several names for Woshing, such as Wo Shing, Woo Shing and Wah Shing.
Important Silversmiths - William Comyns & Sons
William Comyns, one of the most remarkable London silversmiths established his company at the end of 1858, after finishing his apprenticeship with George J. Richards. He bought the premises of Robert Tagg in 2 Carlise Street, Soho, London, where he entered his first mark (W.C into a four tipped oval) in 1859.
Important Silversmiths - Weishaupt & Söhne
The first silversmith of the honourable Weishaupt dynasty was Anton Weishaupt. He became a partner in the Leismiller company in 1801. The Leismiller family had owned the Licence to practice as a silversmith from the Munich Magistrate's Court since 1692. In 1802 Anton took over the business after the last of Leismillers was retired and continued to work with their original licences.
Important Silversmiths - Francois Couquaux
La Maison Couquaux, or House of Couquaux was founded by Francois-Theophile Couquaux at 402, Rue St.-Honore Paris. The firm was active in the 1870s and 1880s. Not much is known about this silversmith and goldsmith, except that he was warmly admired for the quality of his figural works and religious objects in the last decades of the 19th century.
Important Silversmiths - The Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co
In 1880 William Gibson and John Lawrence Langman acquired premises at 112, Regent Street, London and founded The Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Company. The firm produced a wide range of items from solid silver tableware and cutlery, jewellery and watches to electroplaters, trophies and surgical instruments. In 1898 the expanded and well-known firm became a limited company and added "Ltd" to its name.
An Introduction to The Russian Kovsh
The Russian silver kovsh with vivid polychrome enamels is a widely known image of Russian tradition and nowadays a very sought after object by collectors worldwide. Nevertheless few know that Russian kovsh has its origin in the 10th century.
Important Silversmiths - A Risler & Carré
In 1897 André Risler and his partner Georges Carré opened their shop at the fashionable Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris. The company offered the finest silverware and exclusive jewelry. Almost instantly the brand gained a strong reputation amongst the Parisienne elite.
Important Silversmiths - Asprey & Co
The world-famous English luxury manufacturer and retailer Asprey & Co started as a small silk printing business by William Asprey in Mitcham, Surrey. Soon the company largely expanded its offering by purchasing some other firms.
Silver: Properties & Uses
Thanks to its many applications, in art, in our everyday life and ultimately in technology, the demand for silver will maintain its role as a precious metal and increase its value over time.
Important Makers - Goyard
Although the brand with its current name was founded in 1853, the firm was active since 1792 under the name of Maison Martin, from the name of the original establisher Pierre-François Martin. As one of the first ads specified.
Important Makers - Louis Vuitton
Born in Anchay, eastern France, in a family of farmers, the young Louis decided, when he was only thirteen, to travel to Paris on foot. In 1836 he found a job in the French capital as an apprentice to a layetier, a craftsman employed by wealthy people to pack their objects and clothes for travelling.
Important Silversmiths - Sibray Hall & Co
The company, specialised in fine Victorian silver tableware and centrepieces, was founded in 1878 in Sheffield by Frederick Sibray and Job Frank Hall.
Important Silversmiths - Cooke & Kelvey
The company was founded in Calcutta by Thomas Cooke and Charles Kelvey and retailed silver, diamonds, pearls and clocks. Cooke and Kelvey were in fact known as jewellers, gold and silversmiths and watchmakers.
Important Silversmiths - Jacob Tostrup
Jacob Ulrich Holfeldt Tostrup (1806 – 1890) is one of the best known Norwegian jewelers, silversmiths and goldsmiths. Tostrup was born in Norway to Nicolai Tostrup, an infantry captain, and his wife. He was the fourth of eight children. Between 1823 and 1828 he lived in Bergen, where he was apprenticed as a goldsmith