Cosmetic bag in gold decorated with enamel mother of pearl and diamonds Paris.
Sculpture Stone

Joseph Marshak – Kyiv Cartier

The surname Marshak is known to all of us from the children’s poems of Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak. And he is not the only prominent representative of this family. The network of jewelry stores “Marshak” was one of the most famous in pre-revolutionary Russia, along with the jewelry houses of Faberge and Bolin. Iosif Abramovich Marshak, who was called the “Kyiv Cartier”, was Samuil Yakovlevich’s cousin uncle.

Rose quartz jewelry box in gold frame decorated with a mosaic panel of mother of pearl coral lapis lazuli malachite turquoise and chalcedony by Vladimir Makovsky height 8 cm circa 1930.
Rose quartz jewelry box in gold frame decorated with a mosaic panel of mother of pearl coral lapis lazuli malachite turquoise and chalcedony by Vladimir Makovsky height 8 cm circa 1930.

Joseph was born into a poor family of Abram Isakovich and Fenya Lazarevna Marshak in 1854. He was the eldest child, he had a sister and four brothers. At the age of 14, he moved to Kyiv and went to work as an apprentice in a jewelry workshop. Marshak was able to open his own workshop in Kyiv in 1878. Family tradition says that the entire dowry of his wife Leah went to open the workshop, and when it was not enough, he had to pawn the only good suit to make his first gold chain.

After a year of work, the master was able to move to the center of Kyiv on Khreshchatyk and expand the business, taking apprentices and apprentices.

Cosmetic case in gold decorated with enamel 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 cm Marshak circa 1930.
Cosmetic case in gold decorated with enamel 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 cm Marshak circa 1930.
Golden powder box with a mirror trimmed with sapphires 7.0×4.5×0.8 cm Paris.
Golden powder box with a mirror trimmed with sapphires 7.0×4.5×0.8 cm Paris.

In 1913, in honor of the 35th anniversary of the company, it was decided to set up a craft school at the factory to teach the poor children of Kyiv crafts: metalwork, carpentry, engraving, wood carving. The owner of the factory assumed the costs of maintaining the school.

Joseph Marshak had 8 children. When he died in 1918 from cancer, he left a will, according to which his fortune was distributed among his children, and part of the money 1 million rubles, was given to charity and support for the workers of his factory. After the revolution, the factory was nationalized. However, the history of the jewelry company did not end there. The family business was continued by the sons of Joseph Abramovich.

Joseph Abramovich Marshak 1854 1918.
Joseph Abramovich Marshak 1854 1918.
Large gilded silver glass decorated with enamel Moscow sold by Iosif Marshak height 19.5 cm circa 1895.
Large gilded silver glass decorated with enamel Moscow sold by Iosif Marshak height 19.5 cm circa 1895.

The Russian period in the history of the famous Kyiv jewelry company “Marshak” ended in 1918 with the death of its founder, Joseph Marshak. His children emigrated to France, production was nationalized, and little was left of his vast fortune. The second birth of the MARCHAK brand took place in Paris thanks to the efforts of the youngest son of Joseph Marshak Alexander, who studied jewelry in Paris.

Cufflinks in white gold with diamonds 1899.
Cufflinks in white gold with diamonds 1899.

In partnership with Robert Linzelier in 1922, Alexandre Marshak (1892-1975) opened a jewelery shop in Paris, first on rue Cambon, soon after moving to the prestigious rue de la Paix in the expensive boutique district of the most famous couturiers. Robert Linzelier (1872-1941) is also an interesting personality a hereditary jeweler and yachtsman, twice silver medalist of the 1900 Olympic Games in yachting.

The partnership did not last long, but it was during this period that the company created the most interesting things in the art deco style, in my opinion, combining Russian traditions with oriental exoticism and modern geometric shapes. The success of the brand was awarded the Grand Prix at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1925. In the same year, the partnership with Linselier broke up. The boutique on the Rue de la Paix became a MARCHAK store.

Silver coin holder with gilding Marshak Kyiv circa 1890.
Silver coin holder with gilding Marshak Kyiv circa 1890.
Gold cigarette case Nugget adorned with diamonds 1908 1917.
Gold cigarette case Nugget adorned with diamonds 1908 1917.
One large and two small silver gilded ladles with imperial symbols large 37 cm long 1899 1908.
One large and two small silver gilded ladles with imperial symbols large 37 cm long 1899 1908.
Jade paper knife set in silver gilt with guilloche enamel and garnet cabochon 1910.
Jade paper knife set in silver gilt with guilloche enamel and garnet cabochon 1910.
Silver samovar height 54 cm circa 1910.
Silver samovar height 54 cm circa 1910.
Silver gilded ladle set with precious stones amethyst turquoise rose quartz and chrysoprase length 16 cm 1908 1917.
Silver gilded ladle set with precious stones amethyst turquoise rose quartz and chrysoprase length 16 cm 1908 1917.
Ladle length 20 cm Kyiv 1908 1917.
Ladle length 20 cm Kyiv 1908 1917.
Swiss travel clock Nocturne Louis Grisel sold in Marshaks shop Kyiv circa 1900
Swiss travel clock Nocturne Louis Grisel sold in Marshaks shop Kyiv circa 1900
Silver case trimmed with wood inside Kyiv early 20th century.
Silver case trimmed with wood inside Kyiv early 20th century.
A leather writing pad with an overlay of silver with enamel depicting the coat of arms of Kyiv Kyiv 1908 1917.
A leather writing pad with an overlay of silver with enamel depicting the coat of arms of Kyiv Kyiv 1908 1917.
Art Nouveau gilded silver knife set 1908 1917.
Art Nouveau gilded silver knife set 1908 1917.
A set of six silver shot glasses with figurines of Russian musicians and dancers late 19th century.
A set of six silver shot glasses with figurines of Russian musicians and dancers late 19th century.
Silver bowl with a glass insert in the form of a wicker basket decorated with flowers length 57 cm early 20th century.
Silver bowl with a glass insert in the form of a wicker basket decorated with flowers length 57 cm early 20th century.
Travel alarm clock in gilded silver and leather set with four faceted aventurine cabochons 7.4 x 5.8 x 2.3 1930.
Travel alarm clock in gilded silver and leather set with four faceted aventurine cabochons 7.4 x 5.8 x 2.3 1930.
Joseph Marshak Silver cigarette case set with gold and calibrated cut sapphires Marchak Paris circa 1940.
Silver cigarette case set with gold and calibrated cut sapphires Marchak Paris circa 1940.
Joseph Marshak Art Deco platinum watch brooch set with onyx sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds 1925.
Art Deco platinum watch brooch set with onyx sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds 1925.
Joseph Marshak Art Deco white gold brooch set with sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds circa 1935.
Art Deco white gold brooch set with sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds circa 1935.
Joseph Marshak Platinum watch brooch set with sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds Linzeler Marshak Paris circa 1925.
Platinum watch brooch set with sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds Linzeler Marshak Paris circa 1925.
Art Deco watch brooch in white gold set with onyx sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds height 7 cm Linzeler Marchak Paris.
Art Deco watch brooch in white gold set with onyx sapphires rubies emeralds and diamonds height 7 cm Linzeler Marchak Paris.
Joseph Marshak Chinese temple watch with mother of pearl and gem mosaic dial depicting a dragon by Verger Frres for Linzeler Marchak Paris Vacheron Constantin movement circa 1926.
Chinese temple watch with mother of pearl and gem mosaic dial depicting a dragon by Verger Frres for Linzeler Marchak Paris Vacheron Constantin movement circa 1926.
Joseph Marshak Art Deco watch with mother of pearl and gemstone mosaic dial depicting a Chinese landscape and a dragon 10 cm high by Verger Frres for Linzeler Marchak Paris circa 1925.
Art Deco watch with mother of pearl and gemstone mosaic dial depicting a Chinese landscape and a dragon 10 cm high by Verger Frres for Linzeler Marchak Paris circa 1925.
Joseph Marshak Cosmetic bag in gold decorated with enamel mother of pearl and diamonds Paris.
Cosmetic bag in gold decorated with enamel mother of pearl and diamonds Paris.
Elephant gold cosmetic case set with enamel mother of pearl and diamonds with powder compartment and lipstick case 6.0 x 6.0 x 1.4 cm Paris circa 1930.
Elephant gold cosmetic case set with enamel mother of pearl and diamonds with powder compartment and lipstick case 6.0 x 6.0 x 1.4 cm Paris circa 1930.
Gold bracelet set with enamel mother of pearl malachite coral lapis lazuli emeralds sapphires and rubies A. Marchak Paris circa 1925.
Gold bracelet set with enamel mother of pearl malachite coral lapis lazuli emeralds sapphires and rubies A. Marchak Paris circa 1925.
Cosmetic bag in gold encrusted with diamonds with a panel of mother of pearl and semi precious stones jasper lapis lazuli malachite coral Linzeler Marchak for Cartier circa 1925.
Cosmetic bag in gold encrusted with diamonds with a panel of mother of pearl and semi precious stones jasper lapis lazuli malachite coral Linzeler Marchak for Cartier circa 1925.