A GERMAN SILVER SAUCEPAN FROM THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENTAL RIGA SERVICE, JOHANN CHRISTIAN NEUSS, AUGSBURG, 1781-83 |

plain circular on a reeded rim foot, the cover chased with gadrooned reserves in matting, vase finial above acanthus, turned wood handle, the underside stippled in Cyrillic RIZ and N.2, the cover RIZ 2

Acquired by Catherine the Great for the Governor’s Palace Riga;
The Demidoff Collection, probably for count Anatole Demidoff, late 19th century

Björn R. Kommer, Zirbelnuss und Zarenadler, Augsburger Silber für Katharin II von Russland, 1997, pp 20, p. 33 (3) and pp. 35 et sec.

cover without Augburg marks, body and cover also with Dutch control marks, little repair on underside of cover below the finial, small crack in wood handle and very minor nicks.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In all six of these saucepans were made for the Riga service, one of approximately 17 services commissioned by Empress Catherine the Great (1729-96), from goldsmiths in Paris, London and Augsburg to enhance the prestige of her local governments. The service identifiable from the Cyrillic RIZ engraved on each piece, (short for Rižkskij or of Riga), is recorded in a contemporary document as arriving in Riga, on 4th April 1784 into the hands of the governor of Estonia and Livonia, Count George Browne (1698-1792). The service which was large enough for 40 people sitting at table, and cost 80,000 gulden came in 9 boxes. Box number 5 contained the saucepans which were listed as: 6 Kleine Kasterollen mit Deckel am Gewichte 2 Pf und 48 Solotnick (six small saucepans with covers, weighing 2 Pounds and 48 Zolotnics; approx. 1020gr or 170gr each without handles. Now with handles the present saucepan is 203gr)

A considerable part of the Riga service was photographed at the end of the 19th century spread out on an associated mirror plateau. Four of the saucepans are visible in the photograph (see literature p. 48 and 49).

The Riga Government Service is not preserved in the inventory of Baron Foelkersam of 1907. The reason must be that the service was no longer in the Baron's castles. According to the sources, the service was first mentioned in April 1784, as far as can be ascertained so far. On the 4th of this month the Collegien Assessor Nikifor Kargorodow in Riga presented a register of the silver table service. The Table Service, from Augsburg, was dispatched by order of the Imperial Majesty from the Cabinet to Riga to the General Governor of Riga and Reval, in nine numbered boxes. From the same day and place dates the proposal of the governor general Browne to the district pensioner that the silver service be received by the Kameralhof and given to the local district pensioner for storage. The receipt shall be given to Mr. Collegien Assessor Makarow. Also the Kaemmerier Seltheim receipts the above mentioned 15 bowls belonging to the silver table Service ... for safekeeping. We learn something about the use of the service in January 1795. On the 18th of this month the Governor Baron von der Pahlen turned to the rigorous Kameralhof: one should use as much of the Tafel service as one likes with the expected visit of the Duke of Kurland. A further letter then states what was necessary at the request of the governor from the dining service at the Kameralhof and was delivered to Mr Wendel on 19 / 20 January 1795. For the sake of interest a list is given here: .... From the box number 1 .... “