Artisan in the workshop at Mstera, Russia doing filigree work, which starts with a spool of copper wire and shears. Each tiny piece is cut and shaped and placed into the pattern before soldering and plating with 99.9% pure silver. Photo shows the Princess salt-cellar frame being made.

The artisan is here forming the complex pattern of the three salt-cellars making up the Nevsky Seasoning Set. Each tiny circlet is first formed by hand and then placed into the pattern. The ringlets simulate the detail of the ancient chain-mail armor worn by Alexander Nevsky and other warriors in the 13th century when they beat back the German invaders during the Battle on the Ice at Pskov in the year 1242. The openings in the design simulate the openings for the eyes and mouth in the chain-mail armor.

Here we see the hand-enameling detail being applied to the Tanya open salt-cellar with a tiny brush. The artisan will apply all the colors in the bowls before her to each salt cellar before it is passed on to be baked and finished.

Hand-engraving is a feature of many of the articles produced at the Mstera, Russia workshop. Here the artisan is engraving a pattern which has been smoked onto the surface of the piece. Later it will be silver-plated, then the portion of the piece which has not been engraved will be painstakingly covered with wax and the exposed, engraved portion will be gold-plated.

Here we see an artisan at the Kazakavo, Russia, workshop applying flame to two assembled tea-glass holders, to melt the silver-solder which has been applied to the many joints in the delicate filigree work. This unifies and strenghtens the piece just prior to plating it wth 99.9% pure silver and/or gold.

A close-up look at the artisan applying the enameling decoration to one of the open salt cellars at the Mstera, Russia workshop. The enamel is applied with a tiny brush similar to the ones used by the painters of Russia's fabled laquer boxes.