#Exhibit of the Month

In the dazzling world of precious stones and noble metals, certain jewelers stand out, mastering the art of harmonizing understated elegance with absolute refinement, genius with design, and sophistication with eternal, unforgettable splendor.
The name Fabergé, emblematic of originality and synonymous with the creations of a legendary house, has left an indelible mark on the history of jewelry and decorative arts. Renowned for uniting jewelry, artistic design, and utility into objets de luxe and objets de fantaisie, Fabergé's creations have always captivated with their exquisite craftsmanship. Fashioned from gold, silver, enamel, and precious stones, the pieces produced in Fabergé's workshops testify to exceptional virtuosity, marked by meticulous attention to detail and perfect material harmony. Even works inspired by earlier stylistic vocabularies bear the unmistakable mark of originality.

The National Museum of History of Moldova treasures a spectacular ladle, crafted in Fabergé's workshops in the late 19th century.
The Fabergé ladle is a curious blend of the "Russian style" and the "modern style." Made of solid silver, it features a circular, gold-plated bowl. Its raised, stylized handle (hook-shaped) is adorned with vegetal motifs, triple rings, and silver pearls. The rim is embellished with a wide band composed of rectangular medallions, decorated with spiral loops and stylized scales arranged alternately. The bowl is supported by four hemispherical feet. At the center, engraved inscriptions read: Eugenie von Platonow/St. Petersburg and ТОРГОВЫЙ ДОМЪ „АЛЕКСАНДРЪ"/1863/15/10/1913.
Research suggests that this ladle was commissioned by Alexander Trauberg, a first-guild merchant and owner of the "АЛЕКСАНДРЪ" Trading House located at Nevsky Boulevard 11, St. Petersburg. It was likely created to mark the 50th anniversary of his business in 1913.
The hallmark stamped on the base-Fabergé's K. ФАБЕРЖЕ logo surmounted by the Russian Empire's coat of arms, alongside the female profile in a kokoshnik within an oval frame, accompanied by the Greek letter Δ (delta) and the silver purity standard "88"-confirms that the piece was produced by Fabergé's Moscow branch.
The hypnotic charm of Fabergé's creations defined the aesthetic ideals of an era, embodying exuberance and refinement, crafted by a jeweler to kings and a king among jewelers.

Virtual Tour

Rescue archaeological research at Piata Veche of Chisinau in 2012

During April-May 2012 researchers from Archaeology sectors of NMAHM carried out rescue archaeological investigations in the historical center of Chisinau, at Piata Veche (Old Market), 10.

Here during the digging the foundation pit for the construction of a multistoried building, there were damaged, and largely destroyed cultural layers from the medieval and pre-modern age, several housing complexes, workshops, household and domestic pits of the Chisinau fair.

Note that the micro-area in which surveys were conducted for archaeological discharge of the land is part of the historic core of Chisinau (no. 308 in the register of monuments protected by the State of the Republic of Moldova), and from the protection of the Armenian Church of Virgin Birth of Lord (No. 23 in the Register), built between 1803-1804, which sites are protected by state national category.

As a result of archaeological investigations there have been cleaned wall remnants of the old cellars and foundations of buildings from the medieval and pre-modern age. It was highlighted by the embankment and scientifically documented the stratigraphy of the historical development of Chisinau from the mid seventeenth century until modern times. Two complexes were investigated, one of which (L.-A.1) have walls from wood with an annex that was formed by the remains of a craft kiln destroyed by the blades of bulldozers; remains of another kiln and several waste pits. In these complexes there was found an impressive collection of tools and pieces, decorated tiles with Byzantine double-headed eagle image, candlesticks, various pottery or glass, belonging to the mentioned period. Also there were found many coins of brass or white metal, of Tatar, Turkish and Russian provenance, which allows to determine the exact chronology of remains investigated in the rescue excavations.

Archaeological materials found in the Old Market area of Chisinau come to complete with new and striking evidence, the little information that reached up nowdays from written documents or travelers sparse mentions of foreign travelers (Niccolo Barsi, Evlia Celebi etc.). They enable us to reconstruct, closer to social and economic realities, the emergence and development stages of the old town near the Mazaraki hill, the repository of historical artifacts particularly important for understanding our past.

#Exhibit of the Month

Fabergé Ladle

Rescue archaeological research at Piata Veche of Chisinau in 2012

#Exhibit of the Month