Category: Faberge

Russian decorative handles for canes from before Lenin came back. After all, what fun is anything if it isn’t pretty. Some by Fabergé.

Cane handle in the shape of an elephant's head.
Cane handle in the shape of an elephant’s head. Pre 1917. M. Perchin, workmaster for Fabergé. Image © Fabergé Museum, Saint Petersburg. Fair use license. via https://fabergemuseum.ru/en/collection/item/72
Cane handle. ca. 1880.
Cane handle. ca. 1880. Russian. Champlevé enamel and silver. Maker not known. via https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8d/8b/33/8d8b33d6e0a465d41a7a2b2e4c267c0f.jpg
Frog parasol/walking stick handle.
Frog parasol/walking stick handle. Monogram of Tsar Nicholas II. Mark of Eduard Schramm, who was a workmaster for Fabergé. Undated. Gold, silver, guilloche enamel, diamond and amethyst. Fabergé in style. Image © Aspire Auctions, Cleveland. Fair use license. via https://www.aspireauctions.com/#!/catalog/365/2033/lot/94834
Hippopotamus cane handle. Undated.
Hippopotamus cane handle. Undated. Carved bowenite with ruby eyes. Fabergé, maker. Image © Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston. Fair use license. via http://blog.hmns.org/2017/04/creating-the-faberge-brand-beauty/
Cane handle. Made before 1901.
Cane handle with a four leaf clover design. Made before 1901. Gold colored metal with jewels, glass and enamel. Erik August Kollin, workmaster for Fabergé. Image courtesy Canterbury Auction Galleries. © ukauctioneers.com. Fair use license. via https://www.ukauctioneers.com/auction_catalogue.cfm?itemID=20E9CB0FD7D62CF9D7E2FECEFF580EE9E82AA8CD&auction=21EACF0ED2
Walking cane handle in the design of a dog's head with a gold and diamond set collar with tiger eye gemstones.
Walking cane handle in the design of a dog’s head with a gold and diamond set collar with tiger eye gemstones. ca. 1900. Gold, carved rhodonite and gemstones. Hallmarked Henrick Wigström, workmaster for Fabergé. Image © Hutchinson Scott Auctioneers, Embsay Mills, North Yorkshire. Fair use license. via https://www.hutchinsonscott.co.uk/en-GB/att-faberge-a-russian-carved-rhodonite-and-gold-walking-cane-handle-circa-1900-formed-as-a-dogs-head-with-a-gold-and-diamond-set-collar-
Eagle cane handle. Pre 1917.
Eagle cane handle. Pre 1917. Gold, ivory, lapis lazuli, wood, enamel and agate. Marked with the initials H.W. apparently for Fabergé workmaster Henrik Wigstrom. 56 gold standard. Image © Stair Auctions, Hudson, New York. Fair use license. via https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/carved-lapis-lazuli-agate-gold-and-enamel-cane-593-c-6857abddec#

Russian grandeur from the other side of 1917. Mostly from the turn of the last century but one a good bit back. Not as much fun as a present from the tsar but still. Collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore, Maryland.

Kvosh with imperial eagle. Underside of handle inscribed May 6, 1911 but probably made between 1899 and 1903.
Kvosh with imperial eagle. Underside of handle inscribed May 6, 1911 but probably made between 1899 and 1903. Carved nephrite, a type of jade, silver, gold and various gemstones. Maker not known. Collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore. Cc0 License 0. via https://art.thewalters.org/detail/14699/kovsh-with-imperial-eagle/
Mouse. 1908-1914.
Mouse. 1908-1914. Hardstone. Smoky quartz, diamond, gold and ruby. Fabergé, maker. Collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore. Cc0 License 0. via https://art.thewalters.org/detail/76634
Kovsh. 1899-1903.
Kovsh. 1899-1903. Silver gilt with opaque filigree enamel with the monogram of Tsar Peter I on the handle. Grachev Brothers, maker. Collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore. Cc0 License 0. via https://art.thewalters.org/detail/82450/kovsh-12/
Potpourri vase with classical figures. 1768.
Pot-pourri vase with classical figures, believed to have been given by Catherine the Great to her lover, Count Grigorii Grigorevich Orlov. 1768. Multi colored gold and enamel. Jean Pierre Ador, goldsmith. Ivan Frolov, assayer. Collection of the Walters Museum, Baltimore. Cc0 License 0. via https://art.thewalters.org/search/?q=Saint+Petersburg+Russia
Presentation plate with crown and cross of Saint Andrew. 1885-1889.
Presentation plate with crown and cross of Saint Andrew. 1885-1889. Silver gilt with filigree and painted enamel. Grigori Arsenev Andreev, artist (active 1885-1898). Collection of the Walters Museum. Cc0 License 0. via https://art.thewalters.org/detail/82512/presentation-plate-with-crown-and-cross-of-saint-andrew/

Luxurious odds and ends from the collection of the Fabergé Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia. One Fabergé, the others not but just as grand.

Punch set. 1887.
Punch set. 1887. Made by the firm of A.Kuzmichev, Moscow for Tiffany. Silver, glass, enamel and gilding. Image © Faberge Museum. Fair use license. via https://fabergemuseum.ru/en/collection/item/88
Pair of drinking glasses. 1900.
Pair of drinking glasses. Used by Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra to drink to the health of her regiment on June 9, 1900. Silver, glass, and guilloché enamel. Fabergé. M. Perkhin, workmaster. Image © Fabergé Museum, Saint Petersburg. Fair use license. via https://fabergemuseum.ru/en/collection/item/59
Tea and coffee set. 1848.
Tea and coffee set. 1848. Silver, ivory, cork and gilding. Sazikov firm, Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Image © Fabergé Museum, Saint Petersburg. Fair use license. via https://fabergemuseum.ru/en/collection/item/69

More vases, these of a Fabergé sort from the open collections of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

"Forget-me-not." late 1800's-early 1900's.
“Forget-me-not.” late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Turquoise, diamonds, rock crystal, and silver gilt. Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. In the public domain. via http://www.clevelandart.org/art/1966.444
Cranberry. Late 1800's-early 1900's.
Cranberry. Late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Chalcedony, jade, rock crystal and gold. Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. In the public domain. via http://www.clevelandart.org/art/1966.446
Wild Rose. Late 1800's-early 1900's.
Wild Rose. Late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Gold, silver, enamel, diamond, jade and rock crystal. Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. In the public domain. via http://www.clevelandart.org/art/1966.440
Violet. Late 1800's-early 1900's.
Violet. Late 1800’s-early 1900’s. Enamel, silver gilt, jade, diamond and rock crystal. Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. In the public domain. via http://www.clevelandart.org/art/1966.442

More Fabergé preciousness from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Collected by Lillian Thomas Pratt after the revolution for me to share with you.

Loving cup. 1899-1908.
Loving cup. 1899-1908. Russian. Fedor Rücker workmaster for Fabergé. Photo credit: Travis Fullerton. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Fair use license. via http://www.okmag.com/blog/2015/06/15/faberge-jeweler-to-the-tsars/
Miniature Easter egg pendant. Undated.
Miniature Easter egg pendant. Undated. Russian. Chalcedony, gold and diamond. Mikhail Perkhin, workmaster for Fabergé. chalcedony, gold, diamond. Photo credit: Travis Fullerton. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Fair use license. via https://detroit.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2012/12/12/dia-hosts-faberge-the-rise-and-fall/
Bratina. Undated.
Bratina. Undated. Russian. Silver gilt, enamel and gemstones. Julius Rappoport, workmaster for Fabergé. Photo credit: Travis Fullerton. © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Fair use license. via https://detroit.cbslocal.com/photo-galleries/2012/12/12/dia-hosts-faberge-the-rise-and-fall/

A few oddments from the Saint Petersburg, Russia House of Fabergé from that vanished time on the other side of World War I. Collected by American Lillian Thomas Pratt,who left them to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for me to share with you.

Kovsh. Before 1899.
Kovsh. Before 199. Gold. Erik August Kollin, workmaster. Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In the public domain in the United States due to age. via https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8034102/
Cane handle. ca. 1900.
Cane handle. ca. 1900. Agate, gold, enamel and ruby. Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In the public domain in the United States due to age. via https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8028404/
Scarab brooch. ca. 1900.
Scarab brooch. ca. 1900. Gold, silver, garnet, diamond, ruby and enamel. Collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. In the public domain in the United States due to age. via https://www.vmfa.museum/piction/6027262-8024281/

Arted up snails tricked out in precious stones and gilding. From the last few centuries and not a bit of slime in the bunch.

Garden snail paperweight. Royal Crown Derby.
Royal Crown Derby Garden Snail Paperweight. Bone china. Hand decorated and finished with hand applied gold paint. Fair use license. via https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Royal-Crown-Derby-Garden-Snail-Paperweight-/281978695332
Snail. c. 1907.
Snail. c. 1907. Carved cream and brown agate. Fabergé, maker. © Royal Collections Trust. Fair use license. via https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/1/collection/40089/snail
Escargot picks with snail figurine. Art Deco.
Escargot picks with snail figurine. Art Deco in style. French. Silver. Maker not known. In the public domain due to age. via https://www.etsy.com/listing/465754296/french-escargot-picks-art-deco-silver?show_sold_out_detail=1
Snail paperweight.
Snail paperweight. Bone china with gold accents. Royal Crown Derby, maker. Fair use license. via https://www.ebay.com/itm/Royal-Crown-Derby-Fine-Bone-China-Snail-Figurine-Paperweight-Excellent-/233037698488#viTabs_0
Snail table clock. ca. 1900.
Snail table clock. ca. 1900. Art Nouveau in style. Gilt bronze, glass and gilt metal. Tiffany and Company, maker. Image © Sothebys. Fair use license. via http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2016/20th-century-design-n09474/lot.57.html