Lot Essay
This exquisitely decorated bureau belongs to the tradition of carving in walrus and mammoth ivory that had existed in Russia since the Middle Ages, and was prized by the Czars as a demonstration of the skills of Russian craftsmanship. Production centers specializing in the carving of ivory included the northern towns of Kholmogory and Archangelsk, although many of the best craftsmen moved to Moscow and St. Petersburg in the 18th century. Most objects produced were on a small scale such as boxes and toilet mirrors, while larger pieces of case furniture were much rarer and reserved for the most important patrons. A magnificent bureau of this type, probably commissioned by Catherine the Great and decorated with portraits of the Royal family, was sold in these Rooms, 21 May 1997, lot 594, while other related bureau are in the Hermitage, (illustrated in N. Biriukova et al., Decorative Arts in the Hermitage, Leningrad, 1986, figs. 249-250) and in Tsarskoye Selo (illustrated in A.Kennett, Palaces of Leningrad, 1973, fig.86).