Twice a year London’s auction houses simultaneously offer Russian art and antiques ranging from jewellery to weapons. Among the offerings will be pieces made by Fabergé prior to the Russian Revolution.
The first house to place lots on the block is Christie’s on 28th November. It will be offering the largest Fabergé item, a silver mounted vitrine table for the displaying of objets d’art. It is extremely rare for Fabergé furniture to appear on the market. It is either made in the Fabergé workshops using unusual materials such as silver or hardstone, or as in this case, by taking a ready-made piece and enhancing it with its own silver mounts. It past through the St Petersburg workshops of Fabergé during the period 1908-15 and has a height of 81cm (32in). It is estimated at £80,000-£120,000.
Also estimated in this price range is a large and important nephrite carving of a carp with cabochon moonstone-set eyes within gold bezels. Carved in about 1900, it has a length of 23cm (9in). In the year that the resurrected Fabergé’s Visionnaire DTZ timepiece won the ‘Travel Time’ category of The Grand Prix d’Horlogeries de Genève – considered the ‘Oscars’ of the global watch industry – it is interesting to see Christie’s offering a lady’s jewelled gold and guilloché enamel pendant watch made in Imperial Russia by Fabergé. Offered in its original case, it is estimated at £25,000-£35,000.
On 29th November, Sotheby’s will be offering Russian works of art, Fabergé and icons. One of the highlights here is a Fabergé silver-gilt clock with a height of just 17.3cm (6.75in). Made in circa 1910, its case is enamelled in translucent royal blue. In the passed the view was taken that the piece had been re-enamelled, but Sotheby’s do not believe that this is the case. It is estimated at £70,000-£90,000. A Fabergé silver-gilt and enamel table box Baron Leopold de Rothschild purchased from Fabergé’s London branch on Christmas Eve 1908 for £44, will be offered with an estimate of £80,000-£120,000. It has a width of 12.4cm (4.9in).
Among Bonhams offering of Fabergé on 30th November is an antique Chinese snuff bottle of the Suzhou school (circa 1750-1850). Carved from shadow agate it features a falcon perched on a tree branch on the side featured here and a butterfly on the other. Mounted by Fabergé in gold with a champlevé enamel domed-shaped stopper, it is estimated at £15,000-£20,000.
Links to the on-line catalogues:
BONHAMS'
CHRISTIE’S
MACDOUGALL’S
SOTHEBY’S
Fabergé collections are available online and in the international boutiques
