A Curious Pair of Finely Cast Silver Dwarves Mining Malachite (1800 to 1900 Russia)

Silver, malachite and ebony

15.00cm wide 9.00cm high 11.50cm deep (5.91 inches wide3.54 inches high4.53 inches deep)

See Finch and Co catalogue no. 4 ( item no. 76 ) for another example in gold and amethyst

Typical of the 'Artificialia' so desired by the Princely collectors of the European courts for their 'Wunderkammer' these silver dwarves mining a colourful seam of malachite are at once amusing and curious.

A Curious Pair of Finely Cast Silver Dwarves Mining Malachite
Probably Russian
Silver, malachite and ebony
Early 19th Century

Size : 9 cm high, 15 cm wide, 11.5 cm deep – 3½ ins high, 6 ins wide, 4½ ins deep