Nuremberg. The collection of Nuremberg silver is represented by the works of the second half of the 16th – first three decades of the 17th century. Stylistically they are Renaissance and Baroque monuments . In Nuremberg it was the time of jewelry art flowering, the time of mass production of precious articles and their wide-spread occurrence in Germany and far outside the country. Of all kinds of objects the collection presents goblets - the most characteristic works of the Nuremberg silversmiths. Since the late 16th century, a silver gilded goblet, of German work as a rule, was the most significant and valuable present for representatives of higher society in Russia. The Museum collection includes goblets made by Nicolaus Schmidt, Caspar and Hans Beutmuller.
Аugsburg. Augsburg is another center of German silver work. It is represented by a more diverse group of the 16th – early 18th century articles. Augsburg was formed as a major center of silverwork in the Renaissance epoch in the second half of the 16th century. The Augsburg Renaissance artists created whole albums and series of sheets with ornaments for gold- and silversmiths. The goblet with the Augsburg master’s mark “The crossed hatchets” is an example of their use. The gilded pounced goblet with an egg-shaped bowl can be referred to the late Renaissance Augsburg silver. The second half of the 17th and the first half of the 18th century became the best periods in Augsburg silverwork. The silversmiths successfully mastered new decorative motifs and ornaments in silver tableware. Few items from the Museum collection demonstrate luxury and variety of baroque ornaments. The baroque dish-basin made by the Augsburg master Hans Jacob I Baur from the Museum collection is brilliantly chased. With impressive size, glittering precious metal and interesting theme “The Triumph of Amphitrite” it looks like a magnificent panel. Both in Europe and in Russia such “basins” were fixed on the walls or exhibited on special stands in the palace halls.