SACRED VESSEL No. 10

Gallery NO. DV - 2026 - 10

Created April 2026

The Victory Cup — Wedge Form

IC XC NIKA Greek Orthodox Christian Stoneware Cup

The Victory Cup — Wedge Form is a one-of-a-kind stoneware vessel bearing one of the most enduring sacred inscriptions of the Orthodox Christian tradition:

IC XC NIKA — Jesus Christ Conquers.

Rendered in the abbreviated sacred lettering found throughout Orthodox iconography, the inscription joins the ancient proclamation of Christ's victory with a distinctly sculptural handmade form. Its substantial wedge handle gives the vessel an architectural presence, transforming the familiar coffee cup into something that feels closer to a small functional relic.

Created for daily use yet rooted in the visual language of the Church, The Victory Cup carries an ancient confession of faith into an ordinary ritual—the lifting of a cup.

The Inscription

IC XC NIKAἸησοῦς Χριστὸς ΝικᾷIēsous Christos Nika

Jesus Christ Conquers

IC XC is the traditional Greek Christogram formed from the first and final letters of the Greek words for Jesus Christ. NIKA means conquers or is victorious.

Together, IC XC NIKA proclaims the victory of Jesus Christ—a sacred abbreviation encountered across centuries of Orthodox icons, crosses, seals, liturgical objects, and church architecture.

Its presence upon the vessel connects the work to this ancient visual tradition while preserving the individual marks of the hand that formed it.

Surface & Form

The cup is distinguished by its sculptural wedge-form handle, a substantial geometric extension of the vessel that gives the piece its unmistakable silhouette. Rather than functioning merely as an attachment, the handle becomes part of the architecture of the form.

The pale, mineral surface emphasizes the simplicity of the vessel and allows the IC XC NIKA inscription to remain the central visual element. Subtle variations across the handmade surface reveal the movement of clay, glaze, and fire.

As an earlier work from THE RUSSIAN TABLE studio, the vessel also preserves visible evidence of the maker's developing hand. Its individually finished foot and natural irregularities are retained as part of its history rather than concealed—marks of a singular object formed during the evolution of the studio.

This work belongs to The SACRED COLLECTION, a curated body of stoneware bearing the sacred Greek language and abbreviated forms of Orthodox Christianity—ancient prayers, Christograms, Scripture, and liturgical proclamations carried into clay.

Details

Collection: The SACRED COLLECTION

Form: Handmade Orthodox stoneware espresso cup with sculptural wedge handle

Material: High-fired stoneware

Inscription: IC XC NIKA

Greek: Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Νικᾷ

Meaning: Jesus Christ Conquers

Exterior: Tan Tweed matte finish

Interior: Clear glazed interior

Handle: Hand-formed sculptural wedge handle

Dimensions: Approximately 2 in. high × 2.25 in. diameter

Approximate Capacity: 3–4 fl. oz.

Approximate Weight: 0.5–0.75 lb.

Approximate Packaged Shipping Weight: 1–1.5 lb. Firing: High-fired to Cone 6

Origin: Handmade by DOM VECHERA

Edition: One of one

 The earliest works of DOM VECHERA bear DS, the original maker's mark used by Olga before the establishment of the House. These works retain the mark as part of their provenance.

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