AUTHENTIC VINTAGE RUSSIAN NIELLO 875 Silver RING, SZ 6

Description

THIS IS A VINTAGE RUSSIAN HAND MADE, NIELLO SILVER 875  RING.
HISTORY:
Niello is an ancient method of ornamentation. The lines of the design are cut in a disk of silver, which is then completely covered with a black composition consisting of copper, silver, and lead. A little borax is sprinkled on, and the whole disk is subjected to heat. After cooling, the top surface is scraped and burnished, leaving the black composition in the design lines. Most niello buttons were made in the 19th and 20th centuries, although there are some with hallmarks from the 18th century.
Russian goldsmiths working in Tula in the late 18th century revived the craft, and niello work came to be known in Russia as Tula work.
By the end of the 19th century, Caucasus-style niello was very popular in Russia and was being made by silversmiths in St. Petersburg and Moscow. These buttons were made to wear with fashionable dress of the time, not traditional costumes, and the quality of the silver and niello work is much higher. These buttons usually have silver marks but not always.
This ring shows signs of being a really hand made, antique piece due to its irregularity shape and condition.
See my other sales for great items and bargains!
A very interesting piece for somebody that knows and appreciate this kind of art.