BY HAHN, WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF ALEXANDER TREIDEN, ST PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1890

Details

A GOLD-MOUNTED AND GUILLOCHÉ ENAMEL PHOTOGRAPH FRAME
BY HAHN, WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF ALEXANDER TREIDEN, ST PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1890
Of shaped rectangular form with rounded top, containing an original photograph of Empress Maria Feodorovna, enamelled overall in translucent red over a wavy sunburst guilloché ground, within plain rose gold borders, on three stud feet, the ivory back with gold scroll strut, marked on lower mount
5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) high

Provenance

H.R.H. Prince Georg of Denmark; Christie’s, London, 17 December 1982, lot 81.
Mrs Josiane Woolf.
Anonymous sale; Christie’s, London, 6 October 1988, lot 204.
Acquired at the above by the father of the present owner.

Literature

G. von Habsburg, Fabergé, Munich, 1986 – 1987, p. 297, no. 615 (illustrated).
K. Kaurinkoski, et al., Pietarin Kultainen Katu, Helsinki, 1991, p. 126 (illustrated).
G. von Habsburg, Fabergé: Imperial Craftsman and His World, London, 2000, p. 343, no. 943 (illustrated).
G. von Habsburg, Fabergé - Cartier, Rivalen am Zarenhof, Munich, 2003, p. 323, no. 592 (illustrated).
M. Saloniemi, U. Tillander-Godenhielm, T. Boettger, The Era of Fabergé, Tampere, 2006, p. 159, no. 44 (illustrated).

Exhibited

Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Fabergé, 5 December 1986 – 8 March 1987, no. 615.
Helsinki, 1990.
Helsinki, Museum of Arts and Crafts, 1991.
Stockholm, Christie’s, 1996.
Lahti, The Lahti Art Museum, Fabergé: Loistavaa kultasepäntaidetta, 14 March – 4 May 1997.
Wilmington, Riverfront Arts Center, Fabergé: Imperial Craftsman and His World, 8 September 2000 – 18 February 2001, no. 943.
Munich, Kunsthalle der Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Fabergé - Cartier, Rivalen am Zarenhof, 28 November 2003 – 12 April 2004, no. 592.
Tampere, Museums in Finland and Moscow Kremlin Museum, The Era of Fabergé, 17 June – 1 October 2006, no. 44.

Special Notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

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Lot Essay

Prince Georg of Denmark (1920-1986) was the grandson of Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1858-1939), the younger brother of Empress Maria Feodorovna, née Princess Dagmar of Denmark.

Following her marriage to Emperor Alexander III in 1866, Empress Maria Feodorovna maintained strong connections with her family and made regular trips to Denmark, often to family palaces. In advance of these visits, Emperor Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna ordered both special commissions for official events and smaller items intended for personal exchange. These sizable orders were fulfilled by various Imperial court jewellers, usually Fabergé and Hahn.

In contrast to the numerous small presentation pieces that the Imperial Couple distributed to stationmasters, footmen, porters, house stewards and other helpful citizens along their journeys, more elaborate items, such as photograph frames and jewels, were reserved for presentation to their most intimate circle of family and friends.

Along with these lavish gifts gifts, many family photographs were exchanged between the Danish Royal and Russian Imperial families. The present richly enamelled photograph frame, housing an original photograph of Empress Maria Feodorovna, thus provides a tangible reminder of her enduring family ties (Exhibition catalogue, Fabergé: The Tsar’s Court Jeweller and his Association with the Danish Royal Family, Copenhagen, 2016, pp. 19, 48-53).

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