Cigarette box (2) - .813 silver - Samodorok Technik 813 S

Finland ca. 1950

(Samodorok Technique (Russian for refined, occurring in nature))
A rare metalworking technique that is said to resemble natural gold and silver nuggets.
Silver is heated to just before the melting point and then quenched rapidly.
This causes the material to contract; the process is not controllable.
Each piece is thus a one-of-a-kind!
A technique that is hard to master, as the metal can melt or crack during cooling.
The technique was popular in late 19th century Russia and then spread to Scandinavia.
Most famous users: Fabergé, Tiffany & Co, Cartier.

813 Silver
Cigarette case: 8.7 x 8.0 x 1.8 cm
93 grams
internally gilded
Glasses case: 15.7 x 6.8 x 2.1 cm
93 grams
with inscription