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Lot Essay
This table bears a Russian silver hallmark dated 1888 and stamped initials in Cyrillic letters: ? ? (P/SHCH) and ? ? ? (K/N/G in Roman).
The inscription on the inner two circular bands in Arabic reads, Fadishahuna al-afkharu li a'zamu wa halilatuhu li 'aziztu li fadilatu, 'Our ruler is the most glorious and the greatest, and his wife is honorable and virtuous' and wa li wilayatu li qabardiyina wa li jabaliyina li sakinuna al-khaliyuna fi yadi fadishahi li a'zami, 'And the country of the Kabardians and the Mountaineers living free under the authority of the greatest ruler'
The inscription on the outer two circular bands in Kabardian, a Circassian language includes the names of Circassian tribes and settlements from the North Caucasus
This delicately worked table represents both the largest and the most highly decorated example of Caucasian silverwork of its era. A silver sugar bowl with engraved and nielloed motifs consisting of scrolling cusped vine dated 1947 is very similar to the decoration found on the legs of our table, (D. Chirkov, Daghestan Decorative Art, Moscow, 1971, pl.48, pp.144-45). The sugar bowl is attributed by Chirkov to the town of Kubachi. A further example also published by Chirkov, of a ceremonial belt attributed to early 20th century Kubachi, has very similar scrolling floral filigree work like that found on the outer rim of our table (D. Chirkov, op.cit, pl.34, pp.126-27). The ceremonial belt would have been worn by a Dagestani woman on her wedding day. The belt would often represent the highlight of her ceremonial wedding dress and confirm her status in society. Similarly our table as a ceremonial gift represents an early example of top quality of silver workmanship from the Caucasus.
High ranking Imperial Russian figures recognized the exceptional silver workmanship present in the Caucasus, often commissioning works. A presentation dagger and sword with intricate engraved and neilloed decoration made for a member of the Russian Nobility serving in the Kouban Cossack regiment which sold in these Rooms, 24 November 2008, lot 27, is a very impressive example of such a commission. Our table with its bilingual Arabic-Kabardian inscription and its dedication to the Russian Tsar is a very rare example which proclaims both its proud Islamic Caucasian origin and its Imperial Russian allegiance.
The inscription on the inner two circular bands in Arabic reads, Fadishahuna al-afkharu li a'zamu wa halilatuhu li 'aziztu li fadilatu, 'Our ruler is the most glorious and the greatest, and his wife is honorable and virtuous' and wa li wilayatu li qabardiyina wa li jabaliyina li sakinuna al-khaliyuna fi yadi fadishahi li a'zami, 'And the country of the Kabardians and the Mountaineers living free under the authority of the greatest ruler'
The inscription on the outer two circular bands in Kabardian, a Circassian language includes the names of Circassian tribes and settlements from the North Caucasus
This delicately worked table represents both the largest and the most highly decorated example of Caucasian silverwork of its era. A silver sugar bowl with engraved and nielloed motifs consisting of scrolling cusped vine dated 1947 is very similar to the decoration found on the legs of our table, (D. Chirkov, Daghestan Decorative Art, Moscow, 1971, pl.48, pp.144-45). The sugar bowl is attributed by Chirkov to the town of Kubachi. A further example also published by Chirkov, of a ceremonial belt attributed to early 20th century Kubachi, has very similar scrolling floral filigree work like that found on the outer rim of our table (D. Chirkov, op.cit, pl.34, pp.126-27). The ceremonial belt would have been worn by a Dagestani woman on her wedding day. The belt would often represent the highlight of her ceremonial wedding dress and confirm her status in society. Similarly our table as a ceremonial gift represents an early example of top quality of silver workmanship from the Caucasus.
High ranking Imperial Russian figures recognized the exceptional silver workmanship present in the Caucasus, often commissioning works. A presentation dagger and sword with intricate engraved and neilloed decoration made for a member of the Russian Nobility serving in the Kouban Cossack regiment which sold in these Rooms, 24 November 2008, lot 27, is a very impressive example of such a commission. Our table with its bilingual Arabic-Kabardian inscription and its dedication to the Russian Tsar is a very rare example which proclaims both its proud Islamic Caucasian origin and its Imperial Russian allegiance.