BY FABERGÉ, WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF AUGUST HOLLMING, ST PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1904, SCRATCHED CABINET NUMBER 1431

Details

A GOLD-MOUNTED DIAMOND AND SAPPHIRE IMPERIAL PRESENTATION BROOCH
BY FABERGÉ, WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF AUGUST HOLLMING, ST PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1904, SCRATCHED CABINET NUMBER 1431
Lozenge-shaped, centring a diamond-set Imperial double-headed eagle, within a diamond border, flanked with two sapphires and a diamond at each corner, marked on mount and loop
1 5/8 in. (4.4 cm.) wide

Provenance

Acquired by the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty from Fabergé St Petersburg branch in 1904 for 325 roubles (re-entered into the ledgers in 1905 at the increased cost of 500 roubles).
Presented to the widow of the naval officer Davydov in 1905.
Acquired by the family of the present owner in the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 20th century.

Special Notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

Brought to you by

Anna Belousova

abelousova@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2254

Lot Essay

The Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty awarded a number of jewelled brooches decorated with the Imperial double-headed eagle during the reign of Emperor Nicholas II. The Fabergé workshops of Holmström, Hollming and Thieleman were the main suppliers of these pieces. The price of the present brooch places it in the same category as a similarly decorated brooch presented to a major-general's wife during the period. For more, see U. Tillander-Godenhielm, The Russian Imperial Award System during the Reign of Nicolas II, 1894-1917, Helsinki, 2005, p. 198.
We are grateful to Dr Valentin Skurlov for helping research the present lot.

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