Russian Silver in America is a beautifully illustrated book which traces the history of Russian silver from before 1700 through the turbulence of the early 20th century to the American collections where much of it is found today. Hillwood Museum's Russian silver collection is the largest and most comprehensive outside Russia and curator emeritus Anne Odom provides a cultural, political and historical context in which to view this fascinating collection.
This volume surveys Russian silver production, its changing forms, styles, imagery and techniques over more than 250 years. Drawing on the collections of both the Hillwood and other US museums, the book features color plates of over 160 pieces: presentation gifts, commemorative and liturgical objects and pieces made for the court and growing merchant class, including drinking vessels, tea and coffee services, and chalices used by the former imperial family.
Odom charts the history of Russian silver through the baroque styles of the reigns of Peter and Elizabeth, the move to Rococo and Neoclassicism under Catherine and Paul, revivalist styles under Alexander I and Nicholas I, 19th-century styles up to Fabergé, modernist production, and the fate of Russian silver after the Revolutions. Running throughout is the fascinating story of how and why so much Russian silver found its way into American collections much of it sold by the Soviet
government in the 1920s and 30s as it was considered to be of no artistic value. These sales mean that much of the extant Russian silver produced after 1835 is now housed in America.
Not only does this book provide a dazzling visual history of Russian silver, it is also a vital record of 18th- and 19th-century silver production in Russia. The volume also contains an essay on marks, a bibliography and an index.
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