Nielloed tableware from the Severnaia chern’ factory. The niello technique involves engraving a silver plate with a design and filling the furrows with a mixture of metal powders that fuse and turn black when heated, creating an elegant contrast between the silvery metal and the smooth black lines upon it.
This illuminating photo essay contains historical images of the budyonovka hat, which it turns out was originally designed by artist Viktor Vasnetsov for the tsar’s army and modeled on the helmet of the Russian epic heroes known as the bogatyrs.
Openwork refers to ornamental patterns of openings created using various materials.
