Golden censer made by order of tsar feodor ivanovich (kept in the archangel cathedral in moscow) this censer is precious in its metal and in the stones that adorn it, as well as in its skillful workmanship, weighing 4 pounds 33 1/2 gold. The artist has given its cup and lid the likeness of a single-domed church with latticed windows and an eight-pointed cross on the top. On its outer walls, between the arabesques, the cathedral of the archangel michael and the faces of saints are painted in niello, among whom are visible the namesakes of tsar feodor ivanovich and tsarina irene, st. Feodor stratelates and st. Martyr irene. Emeralds and sapphires, faceted and unfaceted, are inserted in their places in the sockets. The four ringed chains to which the censer is attached have four crosses with sapphires in the middle; the yerdanka itself, or handle, is of pure gold, richly decorated with niello and precious stones. It seemed that the master had exhausted his art to make this utensil as magnificent as possible, in accordance with the desire of the zealous person. Although the inscription on the drawing says that this is the censer of tsar feodor alekseevich, but on the tray from the knotted inscription, drawn on the gold with niello, you will learn that "this censer was made by order of the blessed great empress, tsarina and grand duchess irina, in monasticism alexandra after the great sovereign, tsar and grand duke feodor ivanovich for his royal tomb, 1598. ". Date: 1846—1853.
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