ICON 'THE MOTHER OF GOD OF THE SIGN (ZNAMENIYE)' WITH SILVER GUBKIN OKLAD AND PEARLS Moscow, mid-19th century Oklad: silver, engraving, gilding, embroidery, river pearls Marks: master mark in Cyrillic 'IG' for Ivan Semenovich Gubkin, master assayer mark in Cyrillic 'I.A' for Avdeev I. (1852-1862) above the date '1861'; silver mark '84' and coat of arms of the city of Moscow wood, levkas, gold leaf, tempera 31 x 27.4 cm Condition: generally good, minor retouching to faces, minor loss of river pearls. The silver oklad is in good condition. The icon, decorated with laconic and elegant ornaments, has great collector's value as the work of the famous silversmith Ivan Semenovich Gubkin. The Sign' is the image of the Annunciation and the promise of Christ's birth: it depicts the Mother of God with her hands raised in prayer and the Child Jesus in her womb in a circle (Orante type icon). Ivan Semenovich Gubkin was a silversmith, merchant and manufacturer who founded a silverware factory in Moscow in 1841. His business was continued by his sons, first Sergei Ivanovich and then Dmitri Ivanovich. From 1855, Gubkin became a supplier to the court of His Imperial Majesty. He took part in the Russian industrial exhibitions of 1861 in St Petersburg and 1865 in Moscow. At the buyer's request, we would be happy to provide a general condition report on the lot described above. However, as we are not professional conservators or restorers, we strongly advise prospective buyers to carry out their own inspection or consult a specialist of their choice for a full assessment of the condition of the lot. Descriptions of items provided in the catalogue or by correspondence are for guidance only and should not be relied upon as a definitive assessment. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD 'AS IS' IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE PUBLISHED IN THE CATALOGUE.