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Lot Essay
Fabergé's everlasting flower studies were popular among the Russian Imperial family and aristocracy, who were known for their love of flowers and knowledge of botany. St Petersburg was home to countless florists, some of whom supplied Imperial palaces with fresh flowers transported on ice by train from France. With her purchase in 1895 of a yellow rose, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was the first member of the Imperial family to purchase a flower study by Fabergé. She was soon followed by Empress Maria Feodorovna, her sister Queen Alexandra of England and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna.
The inventory number on this intricate study of wild strawberries is '10061'. Another model of wild strawberries, purchased by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in April 1911 for 250 roubles, is recorded in the ledgers under number '10062'. It is also known that Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who was an avid collector of Fabergé flowers, had two wild strawberry studies in her collection.
The production of flower studies by Fabergé is thought to have begun in the 1880s. The collaborative process involved many skilled artists and goldsmiths of the firm. It began with designs which, according to H.C. Bainbridge, were often executed by Karl Fabergé himself. The work was then carried out in stages: setting the precious stones, enamelling the flowers, adding the gold stalks and grasses, and finally assembling the flowers.
Fabergé's elegant creations were often placed in rock-crystal vases, carved in trompe l'oeil technique from a single piece of rock crystal to give the illusion of water. The shaped golden stems were delicately engraved with fine lines, and the flowers or berries were often executed in enamelled gold.
Another study of wild strawberries by Fabergé is part of the Royal Collection, see C. de Guitaut, Fabergé in the Royal Collection, London, 2003, no. 126.
We are grateful to Dr Valentin Skurlov for his assistance with the research of the present lot.
The inventory number on this intricate study of wild strawberries is '10061'. Another model of wild strawberries, purchased by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in April 1911 for 250 roubles, is recorded in the ledgers under number '10062'. It is also known that Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna, who was an avid collector of Fabergé flowers, had two wild strawberry studies in her collection.
The production of flower studies by Fabergé is thought to have begun in the 1880s. The collaborative process involved many skilled artists and goldsmiths of the firm. It began with designs which, according to H.C. Bainbridge, were often executed by Karl Fabergé himself. The work was then carried out in stages: setting the precious stones, enamelling the flowers, adding the gold stalks and grasses, and finally assembling the flowers.
Fabergé's elegant creations were often placed in rock-crystal vases, carved in trompe l'oeil technique from a single piece of rock crystal to give the illusion of water. The shaped golden stems were delicately engraved with fine lines, and the flowers or berries were often executed in enamelled gold.
Another study of wild strawberries by Fabergé is part of the Royal Collection, see C. de Guitaut, Fabergé in the Royal Collection, London, 2003, no. 126.
We are grateful to Dr Valentin Skurlov for his assistance with the research of the present lot.