Serge Nekrassoff Mid Century CJP Copper Enamel Trinket Dish Vanity Bowl 5"

Description

Mid 20th century enamel on copper ring / trinket dish by Serge Nekrassoff. Mottled brown and black coloring with crackle texture monogram initial CJP (or CPJ) in white.

"Serge Nekrassoff (pronounced Ne-KRAS-ov) was born in Russia, February 10, 1895. Fleeing westward at the time of the Russian Revolution (1917), Serge spent time as a coal miner in Germany, then a taxi driver in Paris, where he began learning the art of metal-smithing in copper. By 1920 was beginning to sell his pieces in Paris. Around 1923, he travelled to Argentina, and remained there for 18 months, continuing to make and sell his copper pieces. He had gained his passport and visa to travel to America, and was living in Philadelphia by October, 1925. Within the next month, he was living in New York City and had set up his first studio and shop on14th Street. This was when he was working exclusively in pewter: all of the pieces at this time were marked 'Nekras PEWTER'. By 1931, Serge had moved to Darien, Connecticut, and by 1937, a shop and studio had been built. Most pieces made at this time were still pewter, but some copper and copper/pewter combination pieces were being made at this time. The finished pewter pieces, at the height of the Depression, were being sold to markets in Canada, South Africa, London, and throughout the US. Unfortunately, by the late 1930's pewter was becoming harder to make as tin was becoming scarce, and the Japanese stopped the export of tin from these areas just before the opening of World War II. The cost of making pewter under these conditions in the States became too costly and the shop closed at the beginning of the war. With the close of the shop in Connecticut, Serge moved his family to Florida, and for the duration of the war, he supported himself as a photographer. By 1946, the Nekrassoff family moved back to Darien, Connecticut, to reopen the shop. Pewter was still too expensive after the war, equivalent in price to sterling silver, so it was decided to concentrate on copper and enamelled pieces. The shop moved to Stuart, Florida, in 1952, and remained there until 1982. It was known as 'Nekrassoff and Son' in its Florida years. Beginning in this period Serge began producing bird plates, hand-painted enamel pieces on a copper base. Bird images ranged from goldfinches, cedarwaxwings, cardinals, scarlet tanagers, chickadees, quail, pelicans, bald eagles, gulls, robins, and many others. Boris worked at the shop at this time continuing the wholesale/retail tradition, with stores such as Abercrombie and Fitch selling the pieces nation-wide. Most of the hammered copper pieces were also made in this Florida period. By 1979, Serge Nekrassoff retired at age 86, with son Boris continuing the shop. Boris retired in 1982, and the shop officially closed at that time. Serge Nekrassoff died in Florida at the age of 90, in December, 1985." (Source: Boris Nekrassoff / Kellscraft Studio)

Condition

Good Overall - Gentle wear

Dimensions

4.75" x 0.25" (Diameter x Height)