Large Russian Brass Milk Pan, Mid-to-Late 19th Century

A large Russian brass milk pan of the mid-to-late 19th century, built on the traditional shallow-basin form with a wide flared rim and a distinct stepped foot ring. The spun and hand-hammered brass construction shows the tool marks and subtle irregularity of pre-industrial production, and at 17" in diameter it is a substantial survivor of a form more often found dented beyond use or melted down for scrap.

The appeal here operates on two levels. For the collector of antique European utilitarian metalware, this is the real article — unpolished, unrestored, carrying its original aged skin of warm golds, darkened toning, and honest use patina that no reproduction can replicate. For the decorator, a shallow brass vessel of this scale and presence drops into a room the way smaller pieces simply cannot: as a fruit bowl on a farmhouse table, a display piece on a credenza, a planter liner, or a statement object on its own. Vessels of this type came out of the Tula and Ural metalworking regions in quantity during the Imperial period, serving daily dairy and kitchen duty in Russian households — a heritage that gives this piece cultural weight alongside its visual one.

CONDITION

Good with age-appropriate wear throughout. Dents, dings, and bent distortion to the rim are present, along with surface spotting and darkened tarnish across the basin interior. Patina is original and unpolished; no refinishing.

DIMENSIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

• Diameter: 17"
• Height: 4"
• Weight: 4 lbs 2.1 oz
• Material: Brass, spun/hand-hammered construction
• Origin: Russia, mid-to-late 19th century
• Campbell's Soup Can (4" H) Shown for Scale — Not Included