Silver Cutlery “Tsar Saltan” – Pushkin Series, 4-Piece, 925 Silver Gold-Plated with Niello

A swan, a town that rises from the sea overnight, and a barrel in which a tsarina drifts with her son: the tale of Tsar Saltan has images that hold up well in silver. We show it as a place setting for one person, 925 sterling silver, gold-plated, with engraved scenes from Pushkin’s tale on the back.

Pictures on teaspoon, fork and tablespoon

The teaspoon shows the swan princess, the fork a bird of prey and a swan. On the tablespoon stands Gvidon with the barrel at the sea. In the handles a ship, a swan and a town appear, and on the knife handle waves pass beneath towers. All scenes are made in SevChern’s manufactory, so fine that they are best turned in the light. The front of each handle carries the cartouche with lyre, Pushkin’s name and the tale’s title in Cyrillic script.

From slander to return

Tsar Saltan marries the youngest of three sisters, who promises him a hero. Envy and intrigue lead to the tsarina and her son being set out to sea in a barrel. On land Gvidon rescues a swan from the bird of prey and receives a wondrous town and a wife in return. In the end the family comes together again. Anyone who knows Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera also has the “Flight of the Bumblebee” in their ear, which comes from it.

Engraving gains depth: niello

Only the dark, fired-in mass in the lines turns the engraving into a picture with spatial depth, similar to a low relief. The technique comes from Veliky Ustyug, where it has been documented since 1683. The wider context is told in the article about history and dynasties; it also says how the Artel Severnaya Chern secured its reputation in Paris in 1937 with a gold medal for Pushkin tableware.

A place setting for big days

For a wedding Saltan’s story reads like a family novel, for a silver wedding anniversary and a milestone anniversary like a commitment to coming home. For a milestone birthday, under the Christmas tree or as a business gift for a long relationship of trust the cutlery is also a good choice, and collectors find here a scene that stands out from the rest of the series.

Questions about the Tsar Saltan cutlery

What happens if you put silver cutlery in the dishwasher?
The silver tarnishes, and on niello cutlery the dark lines suffer. So rinse by hand, dry at once and leave baking soda and aluminium foil in the cupboard. The niello guide explains the background.

Which pieces belong to the place setting?
Tablespoon, dinner fork, dinner knife and teaspoon. The knife blade is stainless steel, all other surfaces are 925 silver.

Is the tale also available as cups?
Yes, as the pair of cups Tsar Saltan. The place setting itself can be extended to a whole table with the cutlery case for six people.

Where does the Flight of the Bumblebee come from?
From the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” by Rimsky-Korsakov, which is based on Pushkin’s tale.

Is there a way to add a dedication?
There are two ways. First, the engraving service: you order it along with the cutlery and describe your request in the “order note at checkout”; SevChern and we look at the execution, and where it is not possible, the flat fee comes back to you. Second, the SilberVerse: a verse created individually for the occasion and name, free on request.