posted 06-27-2006 06:24 PM            

I have four tablespoons and two serving spoons, that may be Soviet-made. I need experienced help in identifying them, please!

DESCRIPTION:
They are tarnished with a very golden cast. Their bowls are rather elongated & deep, and the handles are very arched.
The handle's pattern on the obverse begins with a 3(?)-leafed rose blossom at the bowl. The blossom has 5 outer and 5 inner petals.
Three ridged striations (like on Greek columns)flow along for 2/3rds of the handle, ending in a bigger, 3-leafed rose blossom. This second blossom is enhanced by a decorative curve on the rt. & on the lt.
Curved striations only outline the "thumb" part of the handle, leaving most of the area blank. Finally, the handle is completed with two gracefully leafed rose blossoms (these are the same size as the one
at the very beginning).

THE MARKS:
1. Vertically, the reverse of the spoon's "thumb" part of the handle has a pentagon outline, and within, four prongs of a star and four letters. __CCCP__
/\

2. Continuing down the handle, there is stamped "11p00K" .

3. Still further is MHU (a squared U with a little right-hand tail)-- Cyrillic letters of "em", "en", "tseh".

4. Finally, to the left of the MHU, there is a small circle. It has (maybe) a profile of a nesting hen, pointing left. The image is sitting on a Cyrillic letter K .

What was the Soviet factory/industry background for this type of flatware? I read that before 1950, only commonly essential, mass-produced objects were made in the USSR, and that there were 5-year production cycles?

I do not know Russian nor do I read it, but I enjoy the cultural/historical implications of my "finds".

Thank you!

posted 06-27-2006 08:16 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Alpha Malone:

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My apologies, because I seem to have muddled on several fronts.
First of all, thank you for the courtesy that you showed to me. I do not have access to a scanner, at the moment. When I get technologically advanced, then I will retry to engage in an identification process.
Next, I have made computer commands on this forum, that did not give the desired results, therefore, I have confused many and benefitted none! Have you heard the term "the lack of ignorance?" Would that apply here? f anyone is still willing to

posted 06-27-2006 08:30 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Alpha Malone:
My apologies, because I seem to have muddled on several fronts.
First of all, thank you for the courtesy that you showed to me. I do not have access to a scanner, at the moment. When I get technologically advanced, then I will retry to engage in an identification process.
Next, I have made computer commands on this forum, that did not give the desired results. Therefore, I have confused many and have benefitted none! Have you heard the term "the lack of ignorance?"

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That is how muddled I feel, right now.

Finally, if anyone desires to answer my posts, please know that I will eventually recover from my bout with embarrassment, and that I will enjoy receiving knowledgeable comments!

Sincerely,
A.M.

posted 06-27-2006 08:54 PM            

There is nothing to apologize for. You did not do anything wrong! My note was by way of asking you to introduce yourself and help us to help you with your find. Electronic communication is prone to misunderstanding, so I hope I did not sound harsh. Try and borrow a digital camera, which makes posting photos relatively easy.

From what you have said, I can say that CCCP is the Latin rendering of the Cyrillic letters for USSR. The hammer and sickle inside a five pointed star was introduced to mark Soviet silver in 1958. I suspect that what you describe as a nesting hen is the head of a women wearing a scarf (rotate the image and look at it through a jewler's loop). The letter "K" may be a district mark.

Without photos though, these observations are little more than guesses.

posted 06-27-2006 11:19 PM            

The background for production of these is that the Soviets were fascinated by the possibilities of mass production. The idea that ruled for many years was concentrating production of whatever in one huge factory. This factory would then produce all the flatware needed for all the socialist peoples use. This is not a totally dumb idea but tends to require highly sophisticated and efficient means of transportation and distribution. Which the Soviets never really got going.

It appears to me that the Soviets produced huge amounts of flatware. In true Soviet style they drew upon the artistic heritage of the Russian Empire. Producing some beautiful items, and some strange ones.

posted 06-27-2006 11:20 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by tmockait:
Alpha,

There is nothing to apologize for. You did not do anything wrong! My note was by way of asking you to introduce yourself and help us to help you with your find. Electronic communication is prone to misunderstanding, so I hope I did not sound harsh. Try and borrow a digital camera, which makes posting photos relatively easy.
From what you have said, I can say that CCCP is the Latin rendering of the Cyrillic letters for USSR. The hammer and sickle inside a five pointed star was introduced to mark Soviet silver in 1958. I suspect that what you describe as a nesting hen is the head of a women wearing a scarf (rotate the image and look at it through a jewler's loop). The letter "K" may be a district mark.

Without photos though, these observations are little more than guesses.

good luck,
Tom

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Hello! I do feel welcome. Thank you, Tom.

I have the silly nature of a jackdaw, but I don't just go for anything that has a shine. I have collected bits and pieces of pretties, especially at events benefitting churches, etc. Since I am priviledged to collect other people's mementos of happy times, I feel respectful appreciation.

It is also fun.
Years ago,I found a cherry, lyre-leg banquet table, with 4 leaves, at the Salvation Army. I took the table home in pieces and kept the hardware in a ziplock bag. I love music, and the lyre design "sang" to me constantly, but I,(really, "we", said my husband)could not keep another piece of furniture. Well, then. I ran into someone who had a same-maker set of six lyre-back chairs. "And now, you know the rest...of the story."

My furniture adventures are long over, but I find a personal purpose in encouraging the longevity of beautiful things and in sharing art for fulfilling experiences.

(Okay, so you got a quarter's worth of "who I am" when you only needed as little as a nickel's! Believe me, I'm done.)

posted 06-27-2006 11:28 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Dale:
The letters CCCP are the Cyrilic ess ess ess ehr, for Soyuz Sovetski Socialiticheski Republic. Literally: Union Soviet Socialist Republics. The MNU,em en tseh, is the name of the operation that produced the flatware. Usually tseh is the tipoff as the word it stands for is 'tzentralnaya' which means central. Probably something like: Metal National Centralized. This is a fairly common Soviet mark and is found on both plate and solid silver.

The background for production of these is that the Soviets were fascinated by the possibilities of mass production. The idea that ruled for many years was concentrating production of whatever in one huge factory. This factory would then produce all the flatware needed for all the socialist peoples use. This is not a totally dumb idea but tends to require highly sophisticated and efficient means of transportation and distribution. Which the Soviets never really got going.

It appears to me that the Soviets produced huge amounts of flatware. In true Soviet style they drew upon the artistic heritage of the Russian Empire. Producing some beautiful items, and some strange ones.

Probably Sazikov and Blakstone could tell us more, and be more authoritative.

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posted 06-30-2006 09:43 AM            

While it is true that after 1958 a five-pointed star containing a hammer and sickle was used as the national assay mark for silver (and gold), it is usually accompanied by a fineness mark, typically 875, although 916 and other standards are also possible. However, based on your description—"a pentagon outline, and within, four prongs of a star and four letters CCCP...a small circle [with] (maybe) a profile of a nesting hen, pointing left"—I really could not definitely say anything about these pieces. It's not impossible that the circle with (maybe) a hen is actually the pre-revolutionary kokoshnik (woman with scarf) stamp that tmockait describes, but it takes quite a leap of the imagination to arrive at that from only your verbal description. Keep in mind also that the kokoshnik mark went out of use after 1917-1927. It also may not be impossible that the mark would exist on a piece alongside the post-1958 mark, but I haven't seen it happen before (On the other hand, I have seen examples of pre-1899 marks presented with later kokoshnik assay marks, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the double-assay here).

Long post short, we really need an image to make head or tail of this.

BTW, Da svidaniya (Дo Cвидaния) means "good bye"... Perhaps you meant Spasibo (Cпacибo) for "thank you"?

posted 07-01-2006 05:07 PM            

Ah! P.S. (My first diagram blooped.)

__CCCP__
/\ inside of a pentagon.

I will look closely at the
"circled hen", and look for
a "digital camera" friend.