Precious tableware of Old Rus
Dish and Plate

Dishes used for holding food and eating were one of the most important part of the court tableware. Variety of their forms and decor can be explained by diversity of dishes served on them. Large silver dishes were decorated with inscriptions in their edges, engraving, precious stones and "spoons" (flat lobes therein). Gold dishes were executed for ceremonial occasions, i.e. coronation or Tsar's wedding. These utensils, as other precious vessels, were granted as gifts or inheritance.

A fine example is a round gold dish from the Armoury collection (img. 2). It has become a wedding present from Ivan the Terrible to Tsarina Maria Temryukovna as could be seen from the inscription round the edge. Such dishes were used to bring the bride her kika (headdress), wedding dress and also to serve special wedding food. The artwork of an extremely simple form is refined in workmanship. Its edge is finished with a band of delicate niello. The perfect ornamental decoration, including flat lobes and niello inscription on a smooth rim of the dish, was repeated by many generations of the Moscow makers in their work.

Plates were called tareli in Old Russia. They were executed of different materials, i.e. precious metals or tin, and decorated with gilding, enamels and precious stones. They were not widely used in everyday life as utensils for eating, but became widespread as vessels for holding food during feasts and banquets. In the XVIIth century plates could be granted as rewards for service and etc.

Representative of the late XVIIth century style is the plate, executed by makers of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops in 1670-1980 (img. 11). Vessels of this type were more decorative than practical. The beauty of this artwork is based on the contrast of the silver-gilt surface with the velvety smoothness of niello work. Floral motifs including stylized pomegranate seeds adorn the plate; this type of decoration appeared in Russian work in the second half of the XVIIth century, having been influenced by Eastern design. A thin gilt inlay is applied to the bottom of the plate, bearing a laurel wreath roundel with a coat of arms. In comparison with Western Europe, coats of arms appeared in Russia relatively late. In 1673 Austrian Emperor Leopold I designed a special form of coats of arms for Russian families. The device of this plate belonged to the boyar Bogdan Matveevich Khitrovo.