Russian Works of Art, Fabergé and Icons
Russian Works of Art, Fabergé and Icons
A rare Fabergé jewelled gold-mounted and guilloché enamel cigarette case, workmaster Michael Perchin, St Petersburg, 1899-1903
Auction Closed
December 2, 04:59 PM GMT
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
A rare Fabergé jewelled gold-mounted and guilloché enamel cigarette case, workmaster Michael Perchin, St Petersburg, 1899-1903
étui form, enamelled overall in translucent oyster over scalloped guilloché ground, with entwining red ribbon-tied foliate festoons and paillons, the front suspending a rose garland and a trophy, the reverse suspending ribbon-tied foliate wreath, with seed-pearl borders, rose-cut diamond push-piece, struck on the flange Fabergé in Cyrillic, with workmaster’s initials, with import marks
height 8.3cm, 3¼in.
Sotheby's Geneva, 17 November 1998, lot 388
Property of A European Collector, Christie's London, 26 November 2012, lot 213
The enamelling technique, garland ornament and colour palette used by Michael Perchin in the design of the present lot relate it to the Imperial Gatchina Palace Egg, also created by Perchin, which was presented by Emperor Nicholas II to his mother the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna on Easter 1901 (The Walters Art Museum, inv. no. 40.500). The Easter egg, also by Perchin, presented to Barbara Kelch by her husband in 1899 and now in the Royal Collection (inv. no. RCIN 9032) is also decorated with similar opalescent enamelling and painted garlands.
A very similarly enamelled opalescent étui designed in the manner of Henri Salembier's ornament, with rose and green garlands, also by Michael Perchin was in the collection of Lansdell K. Christie, New York (K. Snowman, Carl Fabergé, Goldsmith to the Imperial Court of Russia, p. 124, p. 123 illustrated). A further related étui by Michael Perchin, almost identically enamelled and with pearl borders was sold Christie's, Geneva, 15 May 1984, lot 314 and formed part of the Forbes Collection (C. Forbes and R. Tromeur-Brenner, Fabergé, The Forbes Collection, New York, 1999, pl. 169, p. 168).