a fabergé gold and gem-set kovsh, workmaster Henrik Wigström, st. petersburg, circa 1904

repoussé and chased with panels of rococo scrolling foliate cartouches enclosing rubies flanked by diamonds on the sides and back, the front mounted with a later diamond-set cypher of Nicholas II, the handle with a later jeweled Imperial crown

Sotheby's, New York, December 13-14, 1984, lot 484.

The kovsh as a form was the subject of enormous experimentation by Fabergé's workmasters. The present lot is a rather rare example of a jeweler adapting the ancient Russian form to the design influences of the rococo era. The mark of the assay master Alexander Romanov, who succeeded Yakov Lyapunov in April 1904, suggests that the piece was made rather soon after Wigström succeeded Michael Perchin as Fabergé's chief workmaster and took over his predecessor's workshop. It appears that the immensely talented Wigström, who is often more associated with neoclassical designs made later in his career, is here absorbing the influences of the recently-deceased Perchin, who was widely acknowledged as a master of the neo-Rococo. A Fabergé design for a very similar neo-Rococo gold kovsh was published by Christie's, London, Designs from the House of Carl Fabergé, April 27, 1989, lot 456.

overall 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.
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