PROBABLY ARCHANGEL, MID-18TH CENTURY

Archangel, located on the White Sea coast, was an important trading city in Russia's far north and, in particular, was a center of walrus ivory trade. During the 18th century it produced high quality and highly original carved ivory boxes and other objects. Often the most sophisticated incorporated pierced panels of people and animals drawing on Western European design sources. For several related, though more complex, examples, see A. Odom and L.P. Arend, A Taste for Splendor: Russian Imperial and European Treasures from the Hillwood Museum, exh. cat., 1998, pp.136-38.