Rare Baroque Star-Shaped Silver Dish by Harman Lüders (1658)

Silver, partially gilded. A flat, star-shaped plate with a slightly concave, round, and smooth mirror. The rim, bordered by an elegant undulating band, is drawn in eight times in the form of a pennant. At the top, protruding from the tips, are large leafy plants, some ending with lush daffodils and anemones. On the bottom, several inventory numbers and the engraved inscription "X 813". Signed, delicate hatching, assay marks, master Harman Lüders (worked from 1658), Russian import marks "74" with assay marks for St. Petersburg, dated "1763". Weight approximately 320 g. Diameter 23.5 cm. Hamburg silverware, which has been in circulation since the 16th century, as custom orders or gifts from ambassadors to Moscow, where they are still kept in the Kremlin Armoury. Due to expanded trade relations in the 18th century, Hamburg silver also entered private ownership in Russia. See Schliemann, Vol. I, p. 174, no. 233; a similar credenza plate is described in Vol. I, p. 174, object no. 131, inventory no. O.p. 2052 and illustrated in Vol. III, p. 47, figure 81; Goldberg, no. 1175. Rare German pre-revolutionary Baroque star-shaped silver plate by Harman Lüders (worked from 1658). Various inventory numbers on the reverse. Test marks, assay, and master's marks. Russian import marks, dated and standard mark 74. German. Hamburg. 1658.