silver with inlaid enamel work (champlevé) and engraved decoration; removable cap with tube insert

Caviar server, 1905

This long-legged caviar server looks as if it could inch its way along a tabletop. The blue enamel flower clusters are hinged so the cap can be removed. Inside, a metal tube for caviar sits atop a pin, allowing space for crushed ice to keep the delicacy cold. The tube is lined with gold, the only metal that will not cause caviar to spoil. The egg shape of this one-of-a-kind piece references its contents (roe, or fish eggs) and recalls the famous Russian Imperial Fabergé Easter eggs shown in Paris at the 1900 Exposition Universelle.

Details
Title
Caviar server
Artist Life
Fresnes, Loir-et-Cher 1850–Paris [?] 1930
Role
Maker
Accession Number
98.276.35a,b
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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silver with inlaid enamel work (champlevé) and engraved decoration; removable cap with tube insert