When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Antique Russian turned wooden pencil/pen holder, dating to the early 20th century, probably c.1910s.A particularly attractive example associated with the traditional decorative woodwork of Sergiev Posad, Russia. The barrel-shaped body has pyrography/burned outlines with hand-painted decoration in muted red, ochre, green and blue.The architectural scenes are believed to depict buildings of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra at Sergiev Posad.The decoration is strongly associated with the V. I. Sokolov decorative tradition. Documented comparable wooden pieces were produced by the Moscow Provincial Zemstvo Artistic Carpentry Workshop after designs by Sokolov. This example is unsigned, however, so an exact Sokolov design or workshop attribution cannot be confirmed.Approximate dimensions:
9 cm high
8 cm maximum diameterCondition is very good for its age, with natural age-related rubbing and minor paint loss. There are old pen/ink marks underneath. No significant damage or repairs noted.An unusual and highly decorative survivor of early 20th-century Russian folk and applied art.
