Russian Works of Art, Fabergé and Icons

Russian Works of Art, Fabergé and Icons

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 323. A FABERGÉ BOWENITE MODEL OF A SPARROW, CIRCA 1890.

A FABERGÉ BOWENITE MODEL OF A SPARROW, CIRCA 1890

Auction Closed

November 26, 06:32 PM GMT

Estimate

12,000 - 18,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A FABERGÉ BOWENITE MODEL OF A SPARROW, CIRCA 1890


carved of bowenite in Japanese netsuke taste, with cabochon ruby-set eyes, modelled nesting on the ground, the underside carved with stylized feet

width 4.5cm, 1¾in.

Property from the Collection of King George I of the Hellenes; Christie’s London, 24 January 2007, lot 370

Fabergé drew inspiration for the present carving from the Japanese netsuke type fukura suzume, whose name is a play on the Japanese word for good luck. Two nearly identical carvings of sparrows by Fabergé, one in nephrite and one in aventurine quartz are held in the Royal Collection (C. de Guituat, Fabergé in the Royal Collection, London, 2003, illustrated p. 92, nos. 95 and 98).