Telescopic pencil cover; possibly Vasilii Soloviev; St. Petersburg, Russia, 1910.

Telescopic pencil cover; possibly Vasilii Soloviev; St. Petersburg, Russia, 1910.
Silver, gold and enamel. Silver 88 Zolotniki.
Preserves original pencil holder and case.
It has slight losses in the enamel.
Presents incised numbering and punches.
Provenance: collection of Mariano Miguel Maldonado (1825-1921), Count of Villagonzalo and Ambassador of Spain in St. Petersburg.
Measurements: 5.5 x 1 x 1 cm; 8 x 3 x 2 cm (case).
Telescopic cover for pencil made of gold silver and enamel. The cover preserves the original pencil inside. The design indicates that it is possibly a design by Vasilii Soloviev.
Vasilii or Vassilii Fedorovich Soloviev (Cyrillic BC), erroneously called Vladimir Soloviev in foreign sources, was a prominent Russian silversmith and goldsmith, one of Fabergé's most talented masters. Vasilii Soloviev specialized in goldsmithing and enameling. As a Fabergé master, he was assistant to Philip Theodor Ringe, a Livonian jeweler and goldsmith, who ran a small workshop where he produced mainly enameled pieces, such as seals, cufflinks, pencils, letter openers, Easter eggs and cigarette cases in silver and gold. After Ringe's death in 1894, Soloviev, together with his partner Anders Mickelson, ran the workshop as assistants to Ringe's widow until 1912, when they acquired the business.
Vasilii Soloviev's guilloche enamels are noted for their sophistication, astonishing subtlety of application and distinctive style. Skillfully crafted details, a clever combination of traditional motifs, folkloric patterns and contemporary techniques place Soloviev's stunning pieces on a par with those of renowned Fabergé masters such as Michael Perkhin, Henrik Wigström, Oskar Woldemar Pihl and August Wilhelm Holmström.
Since so little is known about the life and career of the eminent craftsman, his entire artistic legacy is shrouded in mystery. It is therefore not surprising that his products enjoy such popularity to this day.