Can you tell me what it says on this Russian snuff box from 1820?
December 7, 2018 2:57 PM Subscribe
Can you tell me what it says on this Russian snuff box from 1820?
Images here: https://imgur.com/a/x1igAwO
Images here: https://imgur.com/a/x1igAwO
Best answer: So, my Russian isn't the greatest, but since no one's answered I'll give it a shot:
The bottom says МИРЪ ЕВРОПЫ - Peace to Europe
The left and right seem like they're cut off, but I think they may be part of some phrase that would be familiar to the intended audience. The left:
?вое - a suffix, could be a lot of things
тве - same as above
спас - saved, or maybe part of a longer word like savior/safety
евро - Europe again, cut off at the end?
The right:
тво(е) - your
побе - победа is victory
прео - not sure
мир - peace (old-school i)
So I'm guessing it's some sort of commemoration of the war of 1812. A historian, or someone familiar with older Russian writing, or even a fluent Russian speaker would probably have better luck than I.
posted by alexei at 9:00 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
The bottom says МИРЪ ЕВРОПЫ - Peace to Europe
The left and right seem like they're cut off, but I think they may be part of some phrase that would be familiar to the intended audience. The left:
?вое - a suffix, could be a lot of things
тве - same as above
спас - saved, or maybe part of a longer word like savior/safety
евро - Europe again, cut off at the end?
The right:
тво(е) - your
побе - победа is victory
прео - not sure
мир - peace (old-school i)
So I'm guessing it's some sort of commemoration of the war of 1812. A historian, or someone familiar with older Russian writing, or even a fluent Russian speaker would probably have better luck than I.
posted by alexei at 9:00 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
My native speaker/reader spouse had similar problems only making out the same as Alexei. It is older script and because it is etched in the metal it is pretty imprecise. Sorry!
posted by k8t at 9:42 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by k8t at 9:42 PM on December 7, 2018
That's as much as I got, it's not the full inscription in the photos.
posted by twoplussix at 10:36 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by twoplussix at 10:36 PM on December 7, 2018
Response by poster: Hmm, interesting. I wonder if it's some sort of imprecise copy of another piece of art or commemorative image. At least I have some starting points for more research (and now I know it's not a wedding gift)!
posted by oneirodynia at 11:17 AM on December 8, 2018
posted by oneirodynia at 11:17 AM on December 8, 2018
Response by poster: Aha! This is what I found searching with the phrase "Emperor Alexander Brings Peace to Europe". Not helpful for the text on the columns but now I know what the image references.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:27 AM on December 8, 2018
posted by oneirodynia at 11:27 AM on December 8, 2018
Response by poster: Here's a similar engraving. It looks like the text on the columns was meant to be incomplete, though there's more here.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:36 AM on December 8, 2018
posted by oneirodynia at 11:36 AM on December 8, 2018
Best answer: Ooh, that last one clearly has more written on the side, which the original was a fragment of. Unfortunately the resolution makes it hard to decipher, but using the first image as a key, I think I got most of it:
Твою Твор?тию Спасена ЕвропаThe grammar seems weird, maybe I'm getting some letters wrong or maybe it's archaic or something. But I'm about 90% sure that the gist of it is:
Твоими Победам Приобритёнъ Миръ
By Your Creation is Saved Europeposted by alexei at 11:11 PM on December 10, 2018
By Your Victories is Acquired Peace
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posted by oneirodynia at 2:58 PM on December 7, 2018