Bidspirit auction | RUSSIAN 84 SILVER OKLAD ICON

RUSSIAN 84 SILVER OKLAD ICON OF ST. SERGIUS, C. 1908–1917 - An Imperial Russian Orthodox icon depicting Saint Sergius of Radonezh, artist and silversmith untraced, circa 1908–1917, executed in egg tempera on a solid wood panel overlaid with an engraved parcel-gilt silver oklad. Rendered in a traditional late-Imperial liturgical style, the composition shows the bearded monastic saint standing on the left in a patterned robe beside the open double sarcophagus of his parents, Saints Cyril and Maria, while Christ appears in clouds within an arched upper-right canopy. Cut-out apertures in the metal cover reveal the painted faces and hands, surrounded by a cross-in-circle diapered background, geometric starburst flooring, and stylized foliate spandrels. Engraved in Church Slavonic within a lower border cartouche is the title inscription 'СВ. ПР. СЕРГІИ' (Saint Venerable Sergius), directly above two struck hallmarks on the lower ground comprising a rectangular Cyrillic maker's punch 'ВЧ' and an oval 84 zolotnik kokoshnik assay mark with the female profile facing right. The reverse features a single horizontal sliding spline, a tacked dark brown fabric hanging loop, and handwritten collector inscriptions in ink and pencil reading 'Kyrill und Mar[ia]' and 'St Serge' alongside a partial date '1951'. riza, devotional, ecclesiastical, antique, religious, prepodobny, tsarist, christianity, shponka, doska. Dimensions 8 x 5 in. All measurements are approximate. Condition Condition appears consistent with age. The parcel-gilt silver oklad exhibits widespread dark oxidation, tarnish, minor surface scratches, and small dents along the wrapped edges. Exposed tempera faces show light surface grime and subtle age wear. The wooden panel displays minor edge nicks, an empty side mortise, and verso ink inscriptions, pencil marks, and red staining.