Sir Bernard Eckstein (1894-1948) became the second Baronet of Fairwarp, East Sussex in 1930. He was the son of Sir Frederick Eckstein (1857- 1930), who was created a baronet in 1929 in recognition of his services to the Empire and to the Sudan.

Known as an enthusiastic patron of the arts, Sir Bernard gathered an impressive and remarkable collection of paintings and works of art, which he held at Oldlands estate in Surrey and his London residence at 25 South Street, Mayfair. He also donated a large part of his collection to various museums, such as the National Gallery, British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum. Unmarried and childless, his extensive collections were auctioned by Sotheby’s in a series of sales from 1948 to 1950.

Some items sold in the Eckstein sales are now in British permanent collections such as the Fitzwilliam Museum and York Museum Trust. These include a Fabergé flower study of Convolvulus circa 1900, bought by the Royal Family as a birthday present for Queen Mary in 1949, now in the Royal Collection. Sir Bernard Eckstein also notably owned the Winter Egg, one of the most important Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs given by Emperor Nicholas II to the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna At Easter 1913, now in a Private Collection, Qatar.

Both the Egg and the pug dog were part of his sale at Christie's on 8th February 1949. The dog was bought by Wartski for £85 and sold to Mrs B. Oppenheimer sixteen days later for £114.