The artistic signature of the late period of Feodor Rückert, one of the most talented masters in silver, is characterized by the slightly “muddy” color scheme with a preponderance of brown and ochre tones, popular in the early 20th century, the speckled, enamel, filigree twisted into tightly-wound balls and the shades of gilded amalgam. All of these decorative conventions also set apart this extravagant fantasy-inspired kovsh, the somewhat grotesque handle of which contains clear zoomorphic motifs, so characteristic of Russian art nouveau.
The artists and artisans of Rückert’s firm avoided copying examples of ancient Russian art, choosing instead to be inspired by them and conveying their impressions of the “quaint… fairytale past.” They created kovsh, bratina, jewelry boxes and decorative vases with a characteristic “freshness of concept and absence of any compositional template.” Because these objects were not intended for any utilitarian function, the primary focus was placed on their decorative aspects. The artisans let their imaginations run wild. They often significantly increased or decreased the dimensions of their creations relative to existing standards, remade the shapes of ancient vessels and came up with fantastic ornaments, all of which form an idiosyncratic fusion of motifs taken from amateur arts and crafts, ancient Russian patterns and elsewhere. As a rule, such objects served as diplomatic gifts, prizes and presents on occasions varying from anniversaries to competitions.