Imperial silver and malachite table by Grachev Brothers

The table is of rectangular form, crafted in silver by the masters of Russian metalware, the Grachev brothers, along with the workmaster Johan Ferdinand Olsonius. The malachite tabletop is a later addition.

The rectangular tabletop features a sheet of fine malachite which has been expertly veneered. Below the top, the entire table is crafted of silver and features an upper band of curled, stylized acanthus leaf forms which run along all four edges. Below the acanthus leaf band, the edges are decorated with architectural frieze panels and traditional Russian emblems. The two opposing longer edges of the table feature the embossed Russian double-headed Imperial Eagle encased in a wreath of laurel leaves with a lower bow set to the centre. The Imperial Eagle is flanked on both sides with frieze-like panels of interlaced rosettes with central flowers surrounded by a petal-form border. The two shorter edges of the table each feature a singular central frieze-like rosette panels of identical design. To each of the lower corners of the table edges are mounted Cossack warrior head masks. The lower edge of the table features a horizontally fluted rim which is decorated with slanted, ribbon banding.

The tabletop is set upon four square-form, tapered legs, which are each identically decorated. The upper section of each leg features a simple capital of curled, stylized acanthus leaf forms. Each of the four sides of the leg feature a recessed panel which is decorated to the top with a long garland of flowers which hang form a bow and a ring. The vertical corners of the table legs feature twisted coils along their length and terminate with stylized acanthus leaf tips and spade feet.

The table is marked at multiple points under the edge with the stamps 'J.O' and '84 И*E 1884.' The Grachev Brothers had no official mark of their own, and so it was habitual for their products to be retailed with marks of their workmasters, as in this case with 'J.O' for Johan Ferdinand Olsonius, who was a workmaster for the Grachev Brothers towards the end of his life until 1888.