Silver gilded cup and saucer depicting the Moscow Kremlin, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1885
Crafts Glass Metal

Vasily Semyonov – Silversmith

Silver gilded tea and coffee service overlooking the Moscow Kremlin, Vasily Semyonov, sold by Alexander Matissen, Moscow, 1884
Silver gilded tea and coffee service overlooking the Moscow Kremlin, Vasily Semyonov, sold by Alexander Matissen, Moscow, 1884.

Vasily Semyonov – Moscow silversmith, owner of a silverware factory, founded in 1852. Semenov’s factory specialized mainly in the production of silverware with niello. The factory was small, in 1870 it employed 30 workers and had an annual turnover of 30,000 rubles.

The high quality of Vasily Semenovich’s products was noted at the All-Russian Manufactory Exhibition, held in St. Petersburg in 1870, Vasily Semenov was awarded the Silver Medal for “special production of distinct work of silver items with blackening and the beauty of drawings.”

Silver glass with gilding overlooking the Moscow Kremlin (height 14 cm), Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1878
Silver glass with gilding overlooking the Moscow Kremlin (height 14 cm), Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1878.
Set of silver salt shakers with niello, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1863
Set of silver salt shakers with niello, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1863.
A pair of silver glasses with gilding and niello, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1870
A pair of silver glasses with gilding and niello, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1870.

The high appreciation of the factory’s products at the exhibition brought new orders from large manufacturers – Ovchinnikov, Kurlyukov, who entrusted Semenov with blackening work for large and responsible orders. In 1873, 40 workers already worked at the factory, and the annual turnover amounted to 75 thousand rubles.

In the future, Semenov’s company continued to successfully present its products at Russian and international exhibitions: 1867 – World Exhibition in Paris, 1870 – exhibition in St. Petersburg (silver medal), 1873 – Vienna, 1876 – Philadelphia. At the All-Russian Exhibition of 1882, Vasily Semenov received a gold medal “for the elegance of engraving patterns on silver items and decorating them with niello.”

Silver gilded cup and saucer depicting the Moscow Kremlin, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1885
Silver gilded cup and saucer depicting the Moscow Kremlin, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1885.
Silver caddy with images of Moscow sights, Vasily Semenov, retailed by Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1886
Caddy with images of Moscow sights, Vasily Semenov, retailed by Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1886.
Silver tea and coffee service, tray diameter 27.5 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1868
Silver tea and coffee service, tray diameter 27.5 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1868.
Gilded silver glass depicting views of the Kremlin, height 15 cm, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1875 Gilded silver glass, Sazikov, 1861
Glass depicting views of the Kremlin, height 15 cm, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1875 Gilded silver glass, Sazikov, 1861.
Silver gilded tea and coffee service with views of Moscow and St. Petersburg in oval reserves among floral ornaments, coffee pot height 17.8 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1885
Silver gilded tea and coffee service with views of Moscow and St. Petersburg in oval reserves among floral ornaments, coffee pot height 17.8 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1885.
Silver gilded sugar bowl depicting St. Basil's Cathedral, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1891
Sugar bowl depicting St. Basil’s Cathedral, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1891.
Silver gilded coaster with floral ornament and Moscow view, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1885
Silver gilded coaster with floral ornament and Moscow view, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1885.
Silver gilded vodka service, consisting of a decanter and twelve cups with a floral pattern (tray diameter 34 cm), Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1889
Silver gilded vodka service, consisting of a decanter and twelve cups with a floral pattern (tray diameter 34 cm), Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1889.
Silver gilded tea and coffee service depicting the sights of Moscow, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1868
Tea and coffee service depicting the sights of Moscow, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semyonov, Moscow, 1868.
Silver gilded glass trompe l'oeil in the shape of a barrel with the image of St. Basil's Cathedral and a saucer, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retail at Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1886-1888
Silver gilded glass trompe l’oeil in the shape of a barrel with the image of St. Basil’s Cathedral and a saucer, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retail at Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1886-1888.
Silver gilded caddy depicting St. Basil's Cathedral, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1873
Silver gilded caddy depicting St. Basil’s Cathedral, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1873.
Silver gilded setting The Annunciation, 1885 with a modern icon, 34.3x25.6 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow.
The Annunciation, 1885 with a modern icon, 34.3×25.6 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow.
Silver gilded icon of the Iberian Mother of God, 31.5x27 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1883
Silver gilded icon of the Iberian Mother of God, 31.5×27 cm, Vasily Semenov, Moscow, 1883.
Silver gilded coffee service depicting the sights of Moscow, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retail at Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1878-1880.
Silver gilded coffee service depicting the sights of Moscow, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retail at Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1878-1880.
Silver gilded punch bowl and ladle with a view of the Moscow Kremlin, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retailed by Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1873
Punch bowl and ladle with a view of the Moscow Kremlin, diameter 26 cm, Vasily Semenov, retailed by Ovchinnikov, Moscow, 1873.