Serge Nekrassoff was a Russian-born metalsmith who made hand-hammered pewter, copper and enamel pieces in the United States from the 1920s into the 1980s. His work is signed and well documented, which makes it a favorite with collectors of mid-century metalwork. Here's who he was, how his work changed over the years and what to look for.
Who Serge Nekrassoff was
Nekrassoff was born in Russia in 1895 and served in the Russian Imperial Guard. After the 1917 revolution he left the country, worked for a time as a coal miner in Germany and reached Paris in 1919. There he drove a taxi while he learned to work copper, and by 1920 he was selling his own pieces. After about a year and a half in Argentina, he arrived in the United States in 1925 and opened his first studio in New York City.
Much of what collectors know about him comes from his son Boris, who shared the family's history with researcher Jeffrey Kelley of Kellscraft Studio in 2000.
Four chapters of his work
- New York, from 1925: He worked only in pewter. These early pieces are marked Nekras Pewter.
- Darien, Connecticut, 1931 to the start of World War II: Still mostly pewter, with some copper and some pieces combining the two metals. At its busiest the shop employed 18 craftsmen and sold across the United States and abroad. Tin shortages made pewter too costly, and the shop closed when the war began.
- Darien again, 1946 to 1952: The family reopened the shop after the war. Pewter now cost nearly as much as sterling silver, so the work turned to copper and enamel.
- Stuart, Florida, 1952 to 1982: The business became Nekrassoff and Son. This is where most of the enamel on copper and hammered copper was made, including plates with hand-painted enamel birds. Serge retired in 1979, Boris closed the shop in 1982, and Serge died in Florida in 1985 at age 90.
What Nekrassoff enamel looks like
Enamel is powdered glass fused to metal in a kiln. Nekrassoff's best-known enamel pieces are copper bowls, dishes, boxes and trays in one strong color, often green, red or yellow, with a white center and a speckled or spattered pattern across the surface. Many have plain or beaded copper rims. The bird plates from the Florida years show songbirds, quail, pelicans and other birds painted in enamel on a copper base.
How his pieces are marked
- The earliest pewter is marked Nekras Pewter.
- Later pieces carry the Nekrassoff name, usually as a signature on the underside.
- Some pewter and copper pieces are stamped with the name and a shield-shaped crest.
What to check before you buy
- Look over the enamel for chips, cracks and fine crazing. Enamel is glass, so damage can't be polished out.
- Check rims and corners, where chips are most common.
- Expect some wear and darkening on the copper. An even, aged patina is normal and many collectors prefer it.
- Find the signature. It's the surest way to know a piece is his.
- Early pewter is the hardest to find. Some of it may have been lost to wartime scrap metal drives.
Caring for copper and enamel
Dust with a soft, dry cloth. If a piece needs more, wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it right away. Keep metal polish away from the enamel, and think twice before polishing the copper at all, since polishing removes the patina. Don't soak these pieces or put them in the dishwasher.
Nekrassoff in the shop
We currently have a signed Nekrassoff copper and enamel keepsake box with an emerald green lid. You can also browse our vintage home decor for more one-of-a-kind pieces. Every piece is the only one we have.