ANTIQUE C. 19th CENT. IMPERIAL RUSSIAN SILVER " 84 " ORTHODOX CROSS KIEV CITY MARK
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:27780165 | Country/Region of Manufacture: Unknown |
| Featured Refinements: Antique Orthodox Cross | Material: Russian solid silver "84" hallmark |
Rare antique fine Russian silver large (approx. 1-3/4" tall with bale) Orthodox Cross pendant featuring ornate "budded" design with image of the Savior's Cross over a floral motif, and a traditional Orthodox "Protection" prayer in Church Slavonic inscribed on the reverse. The Cross is made in solid silver. It bears the "84" old Russian silverhallmark and a small punch mark depicting St. Michael the Archangel with a sword and shield in his hands on the reverse (highlighted on ...a picture). The St. Michael mark represented the Imperial Russian City of Kiev mark placed on fine silver items manufactured in the late 18th - 19th century (please see the last picture for a reference). The Cross shows signs of wear due to its age anddevotional wearing, including reduced quality of artwork, deformations of the original shape, scratches, dents and patches of silverpatina or oxidation. The inside of the necklace bale shows signs of wear consistent withlong wearing. The size and weight of the Cross are shown on the photographs forthis listing.The ends of the crossbars are "budded", with shapes of three circles, or "buds" each. In a Christian context, such a design could symbolically represent the Holy Trinity, similarly to the three-leaved clover, or Shamrock. The obverse bears a symbolic image of the Suppedaneum cross venerated in the Orthodox and some Eastern Catholic churches as the true Savior's Cross. In such a cross, an additional horizontal crossbeam in the bottom part represents a footrest, and is depicted pointing up, toward Heaven, on Christ's right hand sidewhere the Penitent thief, St. Dismas was crucified. The side ends of the central horizontal crossbar of the pendant show the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ inscribed as the Greek Christogram, as the "IC" on the left, and the "XC" on the right. Just below the Savior’sCross, there is a floral or vine-like ornament symbolizing the life-givingnature of the Christian Cross, and also referring to the preaching of Christ:"I am the vine; you are the branches" (John 15:5). The reverse bears an inscription of a prayer in Church Slavonic translating as "LORD, SAVE, PROTECT, AND HAVE MERCY ON ME". The words of the Prayer are very well preserved and identifiable.Please examine all photographs carefully and do your own research if necessary. Please note that photographs are an important part of the item's description. The decorative stone and measuring meter are not for sale, and are photographed with the item in order to provide a size reference and artistic background. Please ask all questions before making a purchase. There are no guarantees with the listing because most items are original vintage or antique objects that are quite old. All items are sold "as is" with no returns because of a change of mind offered. Shipping and handling is free for the continental US. International shipping is handled by Ebay Global Shipping Program. International buyers, please familiarize yourself with the Global Shipping Program through the Ebay "Help" section and ask your shipping questions, if any, prior to buying. Please note that customs regulations differ from country to country, and it is a buyer's responsibility to ensure that any customs fees or other duties collected by the buyer's country are paid and satisfied in full.
