At the very beginning of autumn, on the second weekend in September, the Russian capital will traditionally receive congratulations in honour of its birthday. Some 200 major festive events are planned this year: classical and contemporary music concerts, the "Big-hearted Moscow" charity festival, and others. The central themes of Moscow 875th birth anniversary celebration on Tverskaya Street will be "The City: Details. Moscow on the Move" and "Moscow - Donbass". Festive programs will be held according to a single schedule on September 10 from 12:00 to 21:00, and on September 11 from 15:00 to 20:00.

On the eve of the 875th anniversary of Moscow foundation, we present an exhibit from the collection section "Russian Metal Artworks" -- silver coffee set with Moscow sights and monogram "OC". The set is comprised of pieces executed in 1896-1917 by the firms of Orest Kurlyukov and Maria Semenova*.

Such sets made of precious metals could serve as mementos being family heirlooms, which was why they were often supplemented with various items, preserving similar ornamentation. In the second half of the 19th century, the development of the Russian style made it fashionable to depict historical architectural monuments in the precious metal items decoration. Moscow churches were particularly popular - the Kremlin cathedral, Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and Church of St. Basil the Blessed were often depicted.

The Coffee set presented in the museum exposition is comprised of nineteen items: coffee pot with removable lid, sugar bowl with removable lid, biscuit bowl, two creamers, six glass holders of two sizes, six coffee spoons and two spoons for sugar. The coffee pot, sugar bowl and creamers are of conical shape, with one (coffee pot, creamers) or two side handles (sugar bowl) with ivory insertions (coffee pot). Removable lids of the coffee pot and sugar bowl have a grip in the form of smooth cast cone, separated by ivory insert. Glass holders of cylindrical shape, on smooth profiled socles, with S-shaped handle and a plate-shaped emphasis for the thumb. Oval-shaped biscuit bowl on smooth socle, with an arched hinged handle. Coffee spoons - with oval smooth hollow cups and twisted handles, with cone-shaped crowns. Sugar spoons - with hollow round smooth deep cups and twisted handles crowned with smooth cast knobs. All items in the set are decorated with smooth round (glass holders, sugar bowl), oval (coffee pot, creamer) or curly (creamer) medallions surrounded by the stylized black floral ornament on repousse background. Carved monogram “OC” and niello engravings with the images of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the Resurrection (Iverskiy) the Kitaygorodskiy wall gate, the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed, the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, the Grand Kremlin Palace views from the Sofia Embankment and Moscow Kremlin panorama from the Sofiyskaya Embankment.

*M.S. Semenova - owner of a silverware factory (founded by her father Vasily Semenovich Semenov in 1852) from 1896; the factory operated until 1917