A Fabergé carved agate figure of a seated cat, circa 1900

the eyes set with emeralds, in a fitted Fabergé case with a handwritten note in Danish: Fra den søde Minny - December 1905 Amalienborg

Presented by Empress Maria Fedorovna to her sister, Princess Thyra of Denmark, Duchess of Cumberland, December 1905

Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Fabergé Hofjuwelier de Zaren, 5 December 1986 - 22 February 1987, cat. no. 310  
Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Fabergé-Cartier Rivalen am Zarenhof, 28 November 2003 - 12 April 2004, cat. no. 326

Géza von Habsburg, Fabergé Hofjuwelier de Zaren, Munich, 1986, pp. 194-5
Géza von Habsburg, Fabergé-Cartier Rivalen am Zarenhof, Munich, 2003, p. 246

There is a barely perceptible chip to the very tip of the cat's left ear. Otherwise in good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In December 1905 Duchess Thyra received this charming light yellow figurine of a cat from her sister Minnie. The Empress Maria Fedorovna not only amassed a collection of hardstone animals, but gave them to her relatives with equal zeal.

In 1905, for the first time in forty years, Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna celebrated Christmas in Denmark. At the end of August she made the trip to visit her father and joined her sisters Queen Alexandra and Duchess Thyra there. When Queen Alexandra left Copenhagen, Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna took up residence in Amalienborg with Duchess Thyra and her husband. The sisters had great fun shopping and calling on friends but Ernest Augustus soon tired of their stay and persuaded his wife to leave. Empress Maria Fedorovna had intended to return to St. Petersburg no later than the start of December, but political events in Russia prevented her from doing so.

In December 1905, Emperor Nicholas II wrote to his mother:
"Dear Mama, we all - Alex, Misha, Olga, Pyotr and I - must beg you to put off your journey for the time being. The Warsaw railway is not safe...It's indescribably gloomy without you dear Mama, but we and your devoted friends implore you not to travel here now! The risk is too great!"

The Dowager Empress followed the advice of her son and remained in Copenhagen with her father, who grew visibly more frail during her stay. On 16^th January 1906 King Christian IX died at the Amalienborg Palace. Duchess Thyra was among those who travelled to the funeral of her father in Copenhagen.

The note in Danish translates: From [the] sweet Minnie - December 1905 Amalienborg Castle