This Russian abacus, or tchoty has a well-finished wooden frame, eight metal rods for carrying the beads, and plastic beads that move along the rods. Seven rods have four red beads, two purple beads, and then another four red beads. The other rod (the fourth from the bottom) has one red bead, two purple beads, and then another red bead. Loose inside the paper box are a small gray slip of paper and a larger beige paper, which appears to be a sales receipt.
This abacus was purchased in August 1965 by George W. Sims of California. Sims, who was born in about 1898, was a tax collector, certified public accountant, world traveller, and collector. Handwritten notations on the cardboard box in which the instrument was received indicate when it was purchased and state that it came from Smolensk in the Russian SSR, and cost the equivalent of 61 American cents. Documentation received in the same accession as the abacus (1988.0489.02) relates to the Chinese abacus, not this one.
Hemispherical pot or kettle on three, conical feet with a wire bail handle looped through arched tabs atop its rolled rim; interior lip; pivoting scraper or stirrer mounted inside. Hollow cast with a single, narrow gate mark on bottom exterior. No additional marks.
Silver-gilt or vermeil and cloisonne enamel, rectangular box featuring symmetrical, twisted wirework designs in opaque white and translucent blue, green, red and purple, including two, large, outward-facing C scrolls on the friction-fit, hinged lid and paired S scrolls forming heart-shaped motifs on all four sides of box. Semicircular tab at front center of lid to open. Inside lid is struck with "ИЗ" ("IZ") in raised Cyrillic letters in a rectangle next to a small, circular, intaglio kokoshnik or assay mark containing a left-facing profile of a woman in headwrap and "ИЛ" ("IL") at right. Bottom underside has same maker's mark and a larger, horizontal oval, intaglio, left-facing kokoshnik or assay mark with "84" at left.
Maker is Ivan Zakharov (Иван Захаров), Moscow, active c. 1856-1896. Assayer is Ivan Sergeyevich Lebedkin (Иван Сергеевич Лебедкин), Moscow, 1898-1914.
Parcel-gilt, shallow raised bowl with applied flat rim, domed bottom, and flat ogival pattern handle with arabesque engraving on front and "N52" on back. Engraved foliate band beneath rim exterior has four reserves containing Cyrillic letters. Small old collector's label inscribed "65" adhered to bottom underside; possible indecipheriable scratched inscriptions elsewhere on underside of bowl and handle.
Shallow raised bowl with applied flat rim, small boss on bottom, and cast ogival pattern handle with arabesque relief decoration on front and "N46" engraved on back. Mark possibly erased at center of bottom underside; small old collector's label inscribed "66" adhered nearby with possible indecipheriable scratched inscriptions elsewhere on underside of bowl and handle.