More than 0.5 million hryvnias paid for two silver cigarette cases at Violity auction (Photo)

A cigarette-case “Red Army soldier of the Eastern Railway of the USSR, De-Kastri Bay” and “Cigarette-case. About Legends Battles” were sold at the beginning of the week for 566 thousand UAH. Both lots belonged to the same seller, possibly a collector of tobacco accessories.

On Monday, January 27, two silver cigarette cases were bought at the Violity auction at once — "Red Army soldier of the CZHD USSR, De Kastri Bay” and “Cigarette Case. About Battles Tale”. The final price of the first lot was 370 500 UAH, the second - 195 500 UAH. The total value of two silver products exceeded UAH 0.5 million, the auction website informs.

The interest on the part of users is explained by two factors — the period of creation and the plot depicted on the product.

According to the seller, both cigarette cases were produced before 1958. In Soviet times, such cases for cigarettes were considered cult objects. Premium cigarette cases with characteristic inscriptions were especially valuable. As a rule, they began with the words “For manifested...”, “For the best...”, “From the commander...”, etc. Some of them are even now valued higher than award weapons.

In the 1920-1930s. Cigarette cases were created by jewelry cooperatives or private craftsmen. As the material used not only silver, but also gold. Cases for cigarettes were decorated with inlay, exquisite engraving, inserts made of precious stones. Only wealthy smokers could afford them. This explained the small circulation and, accordingly, rarity.

Plots of cigarette cases also differed in artistic diversity. If at the end of the XIX — beginning of the XX centuries they were mostly decorative, then after 1920-1930. industrial compositions, images of military equipment, figures of workers, Red Army men, peasants appear.

To indicate the place and time of creation of the cigarette case, the presence of brands is important. They were most often placed on the inner surface of the product, sometimes outside. It could be samples of precious metals, initials of craftsmen, designations of enterprises, dates.

Both cigarette cases have signs of domestic use. On the lot called "Red Army Soldier of the Eastern Railway of the USSR, De-Kastri Bay" there is a brand of the master "A. B" — A. Bobarykin. On the reverse side there is a lighthouse and the inscription "A. Tipyakov. De Castries Bay."

"A cigarette-case. About the Battles of Legend" is decorated with a dedicatory inscription "In memory of comrade Narovlyansky A.G. from work colleagues in the Kharkiv District, ”dated 1927. The number "875" is double punched on the inside. In the second case, this is a trial of Ukrainian production — with a trident.

Earlier in the auction Violity sold premium cigarette case from silver, made before the Second World War. During the bidding, it was estimated at 194 500 UAH. This is an author's work, which is marked by the stigma of the master.