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Drinking Bowl (Kovsh)

late 17th century

The Walters Art Museum

The Walters Art Museum
Baltimore, United States

A boat-shaped vessel used for ladling the "kwass" (strong beer) out of big bowls. In the center of the interior is an engraved double-headed eagle. Similar eagles are depicted in relief on the handle and on the finial. The kovsh was given toward the end of the 17th century to a bailiff of Orel by Peter the Great.

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  • Title: Drinking Bowl (Kovsh)
  • Creator: Russian
  • Date Created: late 17th century
  • External Link: For more information about this and thousands of other works of art in the Walters Art Museum collection, please visit art.thewalters.org
  • Roles: Artist: Russian
  • Provenance: Alexandre Polovtsoff (Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Polovtsov), Paris, by purchase; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1930, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
  • Object Type: drinking vessels
  • Medium: silver, parcel gilt
  • Inscriptions: [Transcription] In the cartouches: ╨æ(╨╛)╨╢╨╕╨╡╤Ä ╨╝(╨╕)╨╗(╨╛)╤ü╤é╨╕╤Ä ╨▓╨╡╨╗╨╕╨║╨╕ ╨│(╨╛╤ü╤â)╨┤(╨░)╤Ç(╤î) ╤å(╨░)╤Ç╤î ╨╕ ╨▓╨╡╨╗╨╕╨║╨╕ ╨║╨╜(╤Å)╨╖╤î / ╨ƒ╨╡╤é╤Ç╤è ╨É╨╗╨╡╬╛╨╡╨╡╨▓╨▓╨╕╤ç╤è (sic) / ╨▓╤ü╨╡i╨░ ╨▓╨╡╨╗╨╕╨║ii╨░ ╨╕ ╨╝╨░╨╗╤ïia ╨╕ ╨▒╤ú╨╗╤ïia / ╨á╨╛╤üi╨╕ ╤ü╨░╨╝╨╛╨┤╤Ç╤è╨╢╨╡╤å╤è / [along the edge] ╨┐╨╛╨╢╨░╨╗╨╛╨▓╨░(╨╗) ╤ü(╨╕)╨╝╤è ╨║╨╛╨▓╤è╤ê╨╡╨╝╤è ╨│╨╛╤Ç╨╛╨┤╨░ ╨₧╤Ç╨╗╨░ ╤é╨░/╨╝╨╛╨╢╨╡╨╜╨╜╨╛╨│╨╛ ╨╕ ╨║╨░╨▒╨░╤å╨║╨╛╨│╨╛ ╨╖╨▒╨╛╤Ç╤â ╨▒╤â╤Ç╨╝╨╕╤ü╤é╤Ç╨░ ╨ô╨░╤Ç╨░╨╡╨╝╨░ ╬ÿ╨╡╨┤╨╛╤Ç╨╛╨▓╨░ ╤ü╤ï╨╜╨░ / ╨Ü╤Ç╤â╤é╨║╨╛╨▓╨░, ╤ç╤é╨╛ ╨╛╨╜ ╨▒╤â╨┤╤â╤ç╨╕ ╨▓ ╤ü╨╕╨╝ ╨É╬¿╬Ö ╨│╨╛╨┤╤â ╨▓ ╤é╨╛╨▓╨░╤Ç╤ï╤ë╨░╤à ╨╖ ╨▒╤â╤Ç╨╝╨╕╤ü╤é╤Ç╨╛╨╝ ╤ü╤î I╨▓╨░╨╜╨╛╨╝╤è ╤á╤ë╨╡╨┐╨║╨╛╨▓╤ï╨╝╤è ╨┐╤Ç╨╕╨▒╤Ç╨░╨╗ ╥é╨ö ╤â╨╝╨│ ╤Ç╤â╨▒╨╗╨╡╨╕ ╨╕ ... ╨┤╨╡╨╜(╨╡╨│)╤è; [Translation] Peter Alexeevich, by the grace of God great sovereign Czar and Grand Prince of all Great, Little and White Russia, awarded with this kovsh Thedore KrutkovΓÇÖs son Garaem, bailiff for the customs and tavern duties in the town of Orel, for having collected during the present year 1710 in partnership with the bailiff Ivan Oshchepkov 400 (?) roublesΓǪ; [Transcription] On the back of the handle: ╨▓╨╡╤ü╤â 90. ╨╖╨╛(╨╗╨╛╤é╨╜╨╕╨║╨╛╨▓); [Translation] 90 zolotniks of weight [1 zolotnik = 4.265 gramms]
  • Exhibitions: Russian Art: Icons and Decorative Arts from the Origin to the Twentieth Century. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1959-1960., A Millennium of Christianity: Russian Art from The Walters Art Gallery. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1988-1989.
  • Dimensions: H: 4 5/16 in. (10.9 cm)
  • Credit Line: Acquired by Henry Walters, 1930
  • Classification: Gold, Silver & Jewelry
  • Accession Number: 57.797
The Walters Art Museum

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