The treasures of the Special Storage

Russian Pearl

The collection of the Special Storage helps to know all the diversity of the jewelry of the peoples of the Russian Empire. Most of the adornments of Russian collections are buttons, earrings, and headdress embellished with pearl. The fresh water pearl got in Varzuga, Kem’, Pinega and other rivers in North Russia was the favorite material for adornments. All the woman and maiden headdress of our collection are richly embroidered with fresh water pearl and golden thread, some are decorated with gems and string of pearls stringed on horse hair or flax thread. Headdresses have a lot of variants typical for certain governorate or district of the north-western part of the European Russia.

In collection all the types of Russian earrings of XVI-early XX cc. are gathered. In XV–XVII cc. the type of earrings in shape of interrogative sign was the most widespread.   Depending on number of small bars they were called "odintsi", “dvoichatki” and “troichatki”. The massive silver earrings were related with culture of Novgorod in XVI-XVII cc.  The convex relief images on the both sides are covered with filigree ornament, enamel, inlays of colored glass or stone.  The earrings in form of small basket appeared in late XVIII – early XIX cc, under the Barocco style influence.  The earrings in form of butterflies or bows with pear-like and grape-like pendants were also popular. Small fresh river water pearl was also used for making these earrings. In folk adornment gems were replaced with colored glasses, beads rhinestones; however, pearl was preferred in all times. 

Buddhist Rarities

The Russian Museum of Ethnography has unique relics of Buddhist art.  These are the objects of ritual small-sized sculpture, vessels for consecrated water, prayer drums, shells decorated with silver and used as musical instruments and other elements of the Buddhist altar furnishing.  Most of these artifacts were presented to the members of the Royal Family by Kalmyk and Buryat deputations. They include such masterpieces of the Buddhist sculpture   as the images of goddess-saviors— White Tara and Green Tara, the goddess of longevity Usnisavijaya — the mother of all Buddhas, conventional images of the Universe — mandalas. On the exhibition the mandala in shape of metal dish also used for gathering alms during temple service is presented. The collection of gifts there is an exclusive silver presentation dish, indispensable attribute of gala state solemnities. It was presented to the Emperor Alexander III by the day of his coronation from the Don Kalmyks.

Jewelry of Kazan Tartar

The jewelry of Kazan Tartar is extremely diverse. These are all kinds of earrings, braid adornments, bead strings, necklaces, clasps, belt buckles, shoulder bands, and rings.  Kazan was the center of jewelry production.  This art reached its golden age by middle XIX century. The jewelry was made mainly of silver, sometimes gold was used. Gilder, embossment, casting, engraving and filigree technique were widespread. One of the most specific adornment of Kazan Tartar was should band. It was worn by both young girls and old women putting it on the left shoulder under the right hand. Small box with a prayer –extraction from Quran was often sewn to the shoulder band. Своеобразны и изысканны воротниковые застежки — непременное украшение богатой мусульманки. The indispensable adornment of rich Muslim woman – the collar clasps are original and exquisite. In these adornment apart of the topazes, amethysts, turquoise, malachite, corneal, agate beloved by Tartars large number of colored glass in-lays were used.  

The Gifts of Bukhara Emirs to the Royal Family

The diplomatic relations between Russia and the states of Central Asia were forming throughout centuries. They implied indispensable exchange of ambassador gifts and presentations. The set of gifts was constant: robes, belts, costly fabrics, horse harness, and gala arms. These were the best examples of the high Central Asian applied art. One of the most prestigious gift was the robe — the sign of particular respect to receiver. The exhibition presents velvet upper robe decorated with genuine pearl. These robes were worn without belt and the lower was belted with luxury belt with gold plates and inlays of turquoise and gems.  The filigree chest completely covered with small inlays of turquoise and almandine cabochons is also displayed here. Among the festive horse harness the exhibition demonstrates horse blanket decorated with gold embroidery and silver small buckles. In the court of the Bukhara Emir men made gold embroidery which considered to be very respected profession.