10/07/2019 General, Jewellery
We are delighted to announce a rare opportunity for collectors to own iconic Russian jewellery by the master workshops of Carl Fabergé as part of our Fine Art & Antiques auction on 3rd September.
The consignment of items with a Russian connection are from a British seller and date from the late 19th or early 20th century. The lots include two Fabergé pieces; one is a pair of amethyst, diamond and white enamel lapel pins, hallmarked ‘56’, which translates to 14 carat gold. The Cyrillic hallmark also bears the initials of Peter Carl Fabergé on each pin. The pair are expected to achieve between £2000 - £3000 at the auction.
The second item is a charm necklace which includes a distinctive Fabergé heart charm and another in the form of the iconic Fabergé egg. This has a pre-sale auction estimate £700 - £1000.
The consignment comes from a British family who left the UK in 1842 to establish a successful cotton mill business in Russia before returning to Europe around 1907. As well as amassing a fascinating and varied collection of jewellery from this iconic era of Russian history, the family also collected many other artefacts from the last decades of Romanov rule.
These include a birthday book, issued in 1881 to commemorate the birth of Princess Beatrice, the daughter of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, who was the only Romanov to marry into the British royal family when she married Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria in 1874. As was the custom at the time, visitors signed the birthday book and this example includes the signature of Peter Carl Fabergé’s son Alexander Fabergé. The signature of Allan Bowe, who established the Fabergé business in London in 1904, is also included, indicating a personal relationship between the family and the Fabergés.
“Fabergé’s association with the tsars of Russia, who famously commissioned increasingly elaborate Easter eggs every year means that their pieces have an iconic status that most brands can only dream about,” says Denise Cowling FGA, Gildings’ in-house jewellery expert. “We are delighted to be selling these rare items on behalf of the owners who have looked after them in their family for well over a century. In addition to the jewellery, we also have family account books showing payments made to Fabergé.”
Another item that should prove to be of great interest to collectors of Russian artefacts is a striking turquoise brooch bearing the crest of Maria Feodorovna, who was born Princess Dagmar of Denmark and later married Russian Emperor Alexander III. Their son, Tsar Nicolas II became the last tsar of Russia when he was executed in 1918. This brooch was awarded to senior staff and trustees of children’s homes. The consignment also includes a diamond and pearl pendant dating from 1901, which displays the portrait of one of the family of British industrialists.
The full online catalogue shall be published on 16th August. If you want a reminder, see the Upcoming Auction pages and click the “Remind Me” button below the auction details.
Contact us for an impartial and free auction valuation and see what your item could be worth. Visit our Valuation page for online enquiries or contact us on 01858 410414 to make an appointment with our Valuation team.
