CONTENTS Foreword by Nicholas Snowman .................................................................................. 6 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 8 © 2017, 2021 Kieran McCarthy World copyright reserved ISBN: 978 185149 828 4
CHAPTER 1 Fabergé in Edwardian London ............................................................................... 14
First published in 2017 by ACC Art Books Reprinted, with corrections and updates, 2021
CHAPTER 2 From Moscow to Bond Street ............................................................................. 24
The right of Kieran McCarthy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
CHAPTER 3 Fabergé: A British Royal Fascination ................................................................... 36
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher
CHAPTER 4 Fabergé and the Royal Farmyard – The Sandringham Commission ............. 58
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
CHAPTER 5 Their Exquisitenesses – The Rothschilds ........................................................... 78
The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the permission granted to reproduce the copyright material in this book. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologises for any errors or omissions in the text and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.
CHAPTER 6 Great Britain Immortalised ................................................................................... 96
Frontispiece: Fabergé’s use of hardstones extended to fossilised materials and this French bulldog is carved from petrified wood. Complete with an enamelled gold collar and bell, it is one of Fabergé’s most striking and successful animal studies. Bought in November 1916 by the Turkish shipping heiress Mrs Mango, who lived in London. Page 240: Painted enamel wild rose with nephrite leaves standing in a rock crystal pot. This flower is one of Fabergé’s most beautifully represented and was in Fabergé’s London stock when the branch closed in 1917. Wartski, London
CHAPTER 7 The Russian Goldsmith and the Sport of Kings ............................................. 116 CHAPTER 8 Fabergé’s Patrons .................................................................................................. 138 CHAPTER 9 An Influx of Americans ......................................................................................... 160 CHAPTER 10 An Outpost of Home – The Russian Patrons of Fabergé in London ........ 176
Endpapers: The ground floor interior of Fabergé’s shop at 173 New Bond Street (see p.35). Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow
CHAPTER 11 Fabergé Abroad ...................................................................................................... 194 Epilogue ......................................................................................................................... 212 Appendix One: Henry Charles Bainbridge ............................................................ 214 Appendix Two: The Bainbridge Papers .................................................................... 218
Printed in Slovenia for ACC Art Books Ltd., Woodbridge, Suffolk, England
Endnotes ........................................................................................................................ 230 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 234
www.accartbooks.com
Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 235 Index ............................................................................................................................... 236
CONTENTS Foreword by Nicholas Snowman .................................................................................. 6 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 8 © 2017, 2021 Kieran McCarthy World copyright reserved ISBN: 978 185149 828 4
CHAPTER 1 Fabergé in Edwardian London ............................................................................... 14
First published in 2017 by ACC Art Books Reprinted, with corrections and updates, 2021
CHAPTER 2 From Moscow to Bond Street ............................................................................. 24
The right of Kieran McCarthy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
CHAPTER 3 Fabergé: A British Royal Fascination ................................................................... 36
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher
CHAPTER 4 Fabergé and the Royal Farmyard – The Sandringham Commission ............. 58
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
CHAPTER 5 Their Exquisitenesses – The Rothschilds ........................................................... 78
The author and publisher gratefully acknowledge the permission granted to reproduce the copyright material in this book. Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologises for any errors or omissions in the text and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.
CHAPTER 6 Great Britain Immortalised ................................................................................... 96
Frontispiece: Fabergé’s use of hardstones extended to fossilised materials and this French bulldog is carved from petrified wood. Complete with an enamelled gold collar and bell, it is one of Fabergé’s most striking and successful animal studies. Bought in November 1916 by the Turkish shipping heiress Mrs Mango, who lived in London. Page 240: Painted enamel wild rose with nephrite leaves standing in a rock crystal pot. This flower is one of Fabergé’s most beautifully represented and was in Fabergé’s London stock when the branch closed in 1917. Wartski, London
CHAPTER 7 The Russian Goldsmith and the Sport of Kings ............................................. 116 CHAPTER 8 Fabergé’s Patrons .................................................................................................. 138 CHAPTER 9 An Influx of Americans ......................................................................................... 160 CHAPTER 10 An Outpost of Home – The Russian Patrons of Fabergé in London ........ 176
Endpapers: The ground floor interior of Fabergé’s shop at 173 New Bond Street (see p.35). Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow
CHAPTER 11 Fabergé Abroad ...................................................................................................... 194 Epilogue ......................................................................................................................... 212 Appendix One: Henry Charles Bainbridge ............................................................ 214 Appendix Two: The Bainbridge Papers .................................................................... 218
Printed in Slovenia for ACC Art Books Ltd., Woodbridge, Suffolk, England
Endnotes ........................................................................................................................ 230 Bibliography .................................................................................................................. 234
www.accartbooks.com
Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... 235 Index ............................................................................................................................... 236
FOREWORD My awareness of the work of Carl Fabergé dates from my childhood. Schoolboy impressions remain as I remember my father Kenneth Snowman’s excitement at the prospect of a visit of an elegant elderly gentleman, Henry Bainbridge. It was he who had been the manager of Fabergé’s London shop and it was indeed Bainbridge who supervised the creation by Carl Fabergé of the various animals commissioned by King Edward VII as well as many other objects sold to British customers as Fabergé’s magic took hold of the world. 1949 was the year of Henry Bainbridge’s book on Fabergé, the first of many, and its appearance was marked by Wartski’s first Fabergé exhibition. The work of Fabergé remains fundamental to the firm founded one hundred and fifty years ago by my great grandfather Morris Wartski. The late Kenneth Snowman, as Wartski’s Chairman, bequeathed to the firm an exceptional team and an original ethic balancing commerce with the academic excellence that is reflected in the publications and fine exhibitions that have always characterised the life of Wartski. Kieran McCarthy is part of the team assembled by Kenneth Snowman and continues the traditions he established. It was he who located the “missing” Imperial Easter Egg of 1887, containing a clock by Vacheron Constantin, not seen since 1913; and it was Kieran’s sleuth-like abilities that led to the discovery of Henry Bainbridge’s remarkable personal archive, which is revealed in this book. Thus, Kieran McCarthy has been able to bring Fabergé research back to that moment when Henry Bainbridge ran Fabergé’s London operation and adds to Wartski’s academic achievements by telling us in depth the fascinating and varied story of Fabergé, the Imperial Russian Goldsmith in London.
The Third Imperial Fabergé Egg. The reeded yellow gold egg with a diamond push-piece stands on a jewelled pedestal, it opens to reveal a surprise of a timepiece by Vacheron Constantin. It was presented by Emperor Alexander III of Russia to his wife, Empress Maria for Easter 1887. Private Collection; photograph: Wartski, London
I congratulate and thank him on behalf of the multitude of admirers of Carl Fabergé throughout the world for this important and riveting contribution to the continuing adventure of the great goldsmith. Nicholas Snowman Chairman, Wartski Opposite page: The Lilies of the Valley Egg; Chief Workmaster: Michael Perchin, St. Petersburg, 1898. Given by Emperor Nicholas II to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in celebration of Easter 1898. Lilies of the valley were the Empress’s favourite flowers. Portraits of the Emperor and their two eldest daughters rise and fan out of the top of the egg when a pearl button on the side is depressed. The Fabergé Museum, St. Petersburg
7
FOREWORD My awareness of the work of Carl Fabergé dates from my childhood. Schoolboy impressions remain as I remember my father Kenneth Snowman’s excitement at the prospect of a visit of an elegant elderly gentleman, Henry Bainbridge. It was he who had been the manager of Fabergé’s London shop and it was indeed Bainbridge who supervised the creation by Carl Fabergé of the various animals commissioned by King Edward VII as well as many other objects sold to British customers as Fabergé’s magic took hold of the world. 1949 was the year of Henry Bainbridge’s book on Fabergé, the first of many, and its appearance was marked by Wartski’s first Fabergé exhibition. The work of Fabergé remains fundamental to the firm founded one hundred and fifty years ago by my great grandfather Morris Wartski. The late Kenneth Snowman, as Wartski’s Chairman, bequeathed to the firm an exceptional team and an original ethic balancing commerce with the academic excellence that is reflected in the publications and fine exhibitions that have always characterised the life of Wartski. Kieran McCarthy is part of the team assembled by Kenneth Snowman and continues the traditions he established. It was he who located the “missing” Imperial Easter Egg of 1887, containing a clock by Vacheron Constantin, not seen since 1913; and it was Kieran’s sleuth-like abilities that led to the discovery of Henry Bainbridge’s remarkable personal archive, which is revealed in this book. Thus, Kieran McCarthy has been able to bring Fabergé research back to that moment when Henry Bainbridge ran Fabergé’s London operation and adds to Wartski’s academic achievements by telling us in depth the fascinating and varied story of Fabergé, the Imperial Russian Goldsmith in London.
The Third Imperial Fabergé Egg. The reeded yellow gold egg with a diamond push-piece stands on a jewelled pedestal, it opens to reveal a surprise of a timepiece by Vacheron Constantin. It was presented by Emperor Alexander III of Russia to his wife, Empress Maria for Easter 1887. Private Collection; photograph: Wartski, London
I congratulate and thank him on behalf of the multitude of admirers of Carl Fabergé throughout the world for this important and riveting contribution to the continuing adventure of the great goldsmith. Nicholas Snowman Chairman, Wartski Opposite page: The Lilies of the Valley Egg; Chief Workmaster: Michael Perchin, St. Petersburg, 1898. Given by Emperor Nicholas II to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in celebration of Easter 1898. Lilies of the valley were the Empress’s favourite flowers. Portraits of the Emperor and their two eldest daughters rise and fan out of the top of the egg when a pearl button on the side is depressed. The Fabergé Museum, St. Petersburg
7
INTRODUCTION The name Fabergé has become a byword for luxury and craftsmanship of the highest order. The Imperial Russian goldsmith’s delicate and beautifully made creations entranced the greatest patrons of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and have mesmerised every generation since. The history of Fabergé, the Imperial Russian goldsmith, is inextricably entwined with that of Russia and the Romanov dynasty it served. The business was established in 1842 by Gustav Fabergé; under the guidance of his son, Carl, who joined in 1872, Fabergé eclipsed its rivals to become the largest and most prestigious jeweller in Russia. Although founded in and run from St. Petersburg the firm’s activities extended well beyond the borders of its homeland. It had an international patronage rivalling that which it enjoyed in Russia. To serve these overseas clients, the firm opened its only branch outside of Russia, in London in September 1903.
A photograph of Carl Fabergé sorting gemstones by Hugh Oberg. Wartski, London
Fabergé’s works were as fashionable in London as they were in Russia and the branch grew to match those of St. Petersburg and Moscow in importance. It attracted a glittering homegrown clientele who were joined by an array of visiting Royals, aristocrats and socialites. Just as the Imperial family had in Russia, the British Royal family led the fashion for Fabergé in London and its most important patrons came from the Royal Court. The vast majority of pieces purchased from Fabergé in London were bought as gifts. Exchanging gifts was an important protocol in Edwardian society and Fabergé offered its customers a supply of fashionable and royally-endorsed presents. The documented exchange of Fabergé gifts often identifies and reveals the nature of the relationships between the donor and recipient. Alice Keppel’s gift of a Fabergé cigarette case, decorated with emblems of eternal love to King Edward VII was a clear sign of her very personal feelings for him.
Opposite page: The Winter Egg; Chief Jeweller: Albert Holmström, St. Petersburg, 1913. Given by Emperor Nicholas II to his mother Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna for Easter 1913. The Winter Egg is Fabergé's crowning masterpiece; the incredibly subtle use of complementing rock crystal, platinum and diamonds perfectly evokes the beauty of Russia's harsh winters. Private Collection
9
INTRODUCTION The name Fabergé has become a byword for luxury and craftsmanship of the highest order. The Imperial Russian goldsmith’s delicate and beautifully made creations entranced the greatest patrons of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and have mesmerised every generation since. The history of Fabergé, the Imperial Russian goldsmith, is inextricably entwined with that of Russia and the Romanov dynasty it served. The business was established in 1842 by Gustav Fabergé; under the guidance of his son, Carl, who joined in 1872, Fabergé eclipsed its rivals to become the largest and most prestigious jeweller in Russia. Although founded in and run from St. Petersburg the firm’s activities extended well beyond the borders of its homeland. It had an international patronage rivalling that which it enjoyed in Russia. To serve these overseas clients, the firm opened its only branch outside of Russia, in London in September 1903.
A photograph of Carl Fabergé sorting gemstones by Hugh Oberg. Wartski, London
Fabergé’s works were as fashionable in London as they were in Russia and the branch grew to match those of St. Petersburg and Moscow in importance. It attracted a glittering homegrown clientele who were joined by an array of visiting Royals, aristocrats and socialites. Just as the Imperial family had in Russia, the British Royal family led the fashion for Fabergé in London and its most important patrons came from the Royal Court. The vast majority of pieces purchased from Fabergé in London were bought as gifts. Exchanging gifts was an important protocol in Edwardian society and Fabergé offered its customers a supply of fashionable and royally-endorsed presents. The documented exchange of Fabergé gifts often identifies and reveals the nature of the relationships between the donor and recipient. Alice Keppel’s gift of a Fabergé cigarette case, decorated with emblems of eternal love to King Edward VII was a clear sign of her very personal feelings for him.
Opposite page: The Winter Egg; Chief Jeweller: Albert Holmström, St. Petersburg, 1913. Given by Emperor Nicholas II to his mother Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna for Easter 1913. The Winter Egg is Fabergé's crowning masterpiece; the incredibly subtle use of complementing rock crystal, platinum and diamonds perfectly evokes the beauty of Russia's harsh winters. Private Collection
9
CHAPTER ONE
Fabergé in Edwardian London Carl Fabergé’s vision and focus on meticulous craftsmanship won him the patronage of the Imperial Russian family and brought great success in Russia. Fabergé forged a close relationship with the Imperial family and supplied its members with pieces for both themselves and official state purposes. By the time Fabergé opened in London, the famous commission of Easter Eggs ordered by Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II was in its eighteenth year. The firm’s popularity in Russia attracted attention from overseas and it tentatively took steps to show its work abroad. In 1885 it made its international debut at the Nuremberg exhibition, where it won a gold medal. Then in 1900 it exhibited to great acclaim at the Paris Exposition Universelle. The reception its work received there encouraged the firm to establish itself permanently in Western Europe. Despite the success in France, Fabergé chose London over Paris for the location of its new branch. London was at the heart of a prosperous Empire that stretched around the globe. It was, as it is now, a wealthy, law-abiding and cosmopolitan city where the sophisticated patrons who sought Fabergé’s work congregated. Importantly, the British Royal family, who were closely related to the Russian Imperial family, were also existing customers of the firm. During the reign of King Edward VII, life in London was characterised by a joie de vivre expressed through luxury and conspicuous consumption. Members of an increasingly mobile international elite flocked to the city to share in the pleasures it afforded. In 1901, the firm began to make sales trips to London. Prince George (later King George V) noted one such trip in his diary in May 1903, writing that Fabergé had ‘just come over from Russia’ and ‘we bought about 43 of his lovely things’.1 The success of these trips and the evident demand for its exquisite objets d’art in Britain made London the ideal location for Fabergé. Most pieces purchased from Fabergé in London were bought as gifts and the firm’s wares became the default choice for presents among members of the Edwardian elite. Weekend country house parties, weddings, birthdays and holidays were marked by the exchange of pieces by Fabergé. Sonia Keppel
Opposite page: The Honourable Mrs. John Ward, daughter of the American ambassador to London, Whitelaw Reid. On 23 June 1908 she married the Honourable John Hubert Ward. Ward was equerry to King Edward VII. He was six foot tall, dashing and a popular member of the Court. The wedding at the Chapel Royal St. James’s was attended by HM The King, HM The Queen, Princess Victoria and The Prince and Princess of Wales. Among the extensive gifts the newly married couple received were many from Fabergé: Countess Beckendorff gave them an orange enamel bellpush and Lady Wernher presented the bride with a jewelled clasp. The new Honourable Mrs. John Ward returned some of the gifts to the branch in November 1908 in exchange for a Fabergé study of a vase of violets. National Portrait Gallery
15
CHAPTER ONE
Fabergé in Edwardian London Carl Fabergé’s vision and focus on meticulous craftsmanship won him the patronage of the Imperial Russian family and brought great success in Russia. Fabergé forged a close relationship with the Imperial family and supplied its members with pieces for both themselves and official state purposes. By the time Fabergé opened in London, the famous commission of Easter Eggs ordered by Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II was in its eighteenth year. The firm’s popularity in Russia attracted attention from overseas and it tentatively took steps to show its work abroad. In 1885 it made its international debut at the Nuremberg exhibition, where it won a gold medal. Then in 1900 it exhibited to great acclaim at the Paris Exposition Universelle. The reception its work received there encouraged the firm to establish itself permanently in Western Europe. Despite the success in France, Fabergé chose London over Paris for the location of its new branch. London was at the heart of a prosperous Empire that stretched around the globe. It was, as it is now, a wealthy, law-abiding and cosmopolitan city where the sophisticated patrons who sought Fabergé’s work congregated. Importantly, the British Royal family, who were closely related to the Russian Imperial family, were also existing customers of the firm. During the reign of King Edward VII, life in London was characterised by a joie de vivre expressed through luxury and conspicuous consumption. Members of an increasingly mobile international elite flocked to the city to share in the pleasures it afforded. In 1901, the firm began to make sales trips to London. Prince George (later King George V) noted one such trip in his diary in May 1903, writing that Fabergé had ‘just come over from Russia’ and ‘we bought about 43 of his lovely things’.1 The success of these trips and the evident demand for its exquisite objets d’art in Britain made London the ideal location for Fabergé. Most pieces purchased from Fabergé in London were bought as gifts and the firm’s wares became the default choice for presents among members of the Edwardian elite. Weekend country house parties, weddings, birthdays and holidays were marked by the exchange of pieces by Fabergé. Sonia Keppel
Opposite page: The Honourable Mrs. John Ward, daughter of the American ambassador to London, Whitelaw Reid. On 23 June 1908 she married the Honourable John Hubert Ward. Ward was equerry to King Edward VII. He was six foot tall, dashing and a popular member of the Court. The wedding at the Chapel Royal St. James’s was attended by HM The King, HM The Queen, Princess Victoria and The Prince and Princess of Wales. Among the extensive gifts the newly married couple received were many from Fabergé: Countess Beckendorff gave them an orange enamel bellpush and Lady Wernher presented the bride with a jewelled clasp. The new Honourable Mrs. John Ward returned some of the gifts to the branch in November 1908 in exchange for a Fabergé study of a vase of violets. National Portrait Gallery
15
CHAPTER TWO
From Moscow to Bond Street Fabergé’s London branch was established and initially run by Henry “Allan” Talbot Bowe, in tandem with his brother Arthur. The collaboration between the Bowe family and Fabergé had begun in Russia. Born in South Africa, Allan was the son of an English doctor who had settled in Springbok, Namaqualand. Allan’s father died when he was young and he returned to England to be schooled. On completing his education, he moved to Moscow to work for his second cousin, James Shanks, a partner in the Magasin Anglais, an outfitters that also sold jewellery and silver. Allan worked there until 1886 when, by chance, he met Carl Fabergé travelling on a train from Russia to Paris. Allan was a capable young man and as they journeyed westwards, he won Fabergé’s confidence. Fabergé, who was considering opening a business in Moscow, recognised Bowe’s potential and asked him to run the new enterprise. Fabergé’s Moscow branch opened in 1887 as an equal partnership between Bowe and Carl Fabergé. It traded from premises on the corner of Kusnetsky Most and Neglinnaya Street in the centre of Moscow’s luxury goods district. Allan Bowe was in control of the business and under his guidance it grew and prospered. Allan was assimilated into the closely-knit British merchant colony in Moscow and married Emma Billet, a member of the expatriate community in the city.They moved into a large house where they entertained lavishly; their daughter Essie recalled frequent parties at their home and playing with the elaborate Fabergé silver centrepieces that adorned the dinner table.1 Allan’s ambitions were not limited to Russia and the demand for Fabergé in his homeland led him and his brother Arthur to open the London branch in 1903. Its first location was the Berners’ Hotel at 6 & 7 Berners Street, north of Oxford Street. Whether Arthur merely stayed at the hotel on arriving in London or if he opened an office there is not recorded. Shortly afterwards, he relocated to premises incorporating ‘a private reception room’ in Portman House, 415 Oxford Street, on the corner of Duke Street.2 Though Arthur
Henry “Allan” Talbot Bowe.
Opposite page: Fabergé’s Moscow premises. Photograph courtesy Wartski, London
25
CHAPTER TWO
From Moscow to Bond Street Fabergé’s London branch was established and initially run by Henry “Allan” Talbot Bowe, in tandem with his brother Arthur. The collaboration between the Bowe family and Fabergé had begun in Russia. Born in South Africa, Allan was the son of an English doctor who had settled in Springbok, Namaqualand. Allan’s father died when he was young and he returned to England to be schooled. On completing his education, he moved to Moscow to work for his second cousin, James Shanks, a partner in the Magasin Anglais, an outfitters that also sold jewellery and silver. Allan worked there until 1886 when, by chance, he met Carl Fabergé travelling on a train from Russia to Paris. Allan was a capable young man and as they journeyed westwards, he won Fabergé’s confidence. Fabergé, who was considering opening a business in Moscow, recognised Bowe’s potential and asked him to run the new enterprise. Fabergé’s Moscow branch opened in 1887 as an equal partnership between Bowe and Carl Fabergé. It traded from premises on the corner of Kusnetsky Most and Neglinnaya Street in the centre of Moscow’s luxury goods district. Allan Bowe was in control of the business and under his guidance it grew and prospered. Allan was assimilated into the closely-knit British merchant colony in Moscow and married Emma Billet, a member of the expatriate community in the city.They moved into a large house where they entertained lavishly; their daughter Essie recalled frequent parties at their home and playing with the elaborate Fabergé silver centrepieces that adorned the dinner table.1 Allan’s ambitions were not limited to Russia and the demand for Fabergé in his homeland led him and his brother Arthur to open the London branch in 1903. Its first location was the Berners’ Hotel at 6 & 7 Berners Street, north of Oxford Street. Whether Arthur merely stayed at the hotel on arriving in London or if he opened an office there is not recorded. Shortly afterwards, he relocated to premises incorporating ‘a private reception room’ in Portman House, 415 Oxford Street, on the corner of Duke Street.2 Though Arthur
Henry “Allan” Talbot Bowe.
Opposite page: Fabergé’s Moscow premises. Photograph courtesy Wartski, London
25
CHAPTER THREE
Fabergé: A British Royal Fascination ‘He had a rich German accent and smelt deliciously of cigars and eau de Portugal. He wore several rings set with small cabochon rubies and a cigarette case made of ribbed gold, no doubt by Fabergé. A Fabergé cigarette case was the emblem of Royalty, as symbolical as the bookies’ cigar, or the ostler’s straw.’ Violet Trefusis describing King Edward VII1
Fabergé was the last flowering of Court art and this was equally true in England as it was in Russia. Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, was Fabergé’s foremost customer in London. Bainbridge even described the opening of the London branch as a ‘modest gesture’ by Fabergé towards her. He compared her patronage with that of the Russian Emperors and described her as the the firm’s ‘Great patroness’.2 The joy that The Queen derived from Fabergé’s works was infectious and spread through her family; King Edward VII joined her in buying the firm’s work and her son King George V became one of its most discerning customers. The firm’s creations were a common sight in Royal residences and were exchanged at Royal family events. In his memoirs, The Duke of Windsor fondly remembered Edwardian Christmases at Sandringham, where the Royal family gathered to celebrate the holiday. The display of the Christmas tree and the exchange of gifts took place on Christmas Eve. A servant dressed as ‘Santa Claus’ led the Royal party to the ballroom, at the centre of which stood a fir tree with blazing candles in its branches. Around the tree, which had been cut down from the surrounding woods, tables were arranged by precedence and heaped with presents for each family member.The children’s tables were segregated from the rest and placed in a far corner. The Duke of Windsor explained that this precaution was taken in order to ‘safeguard a precious Fabergé jade masterpiece or bejewelled clock on my Grandmother’s table from becoming the casualty of a wild shot from a toy gun or misdirected football.’3
Opposite page: Her Majesty Queen Alexandra (1844-1925), wife of King Edward VII, sister of the Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna, and Fabergé’s foremost customer in London. The Queen was famed for her feminine complexion, grace of movement and good dress. Her beauty did not fade as she aged. J.B. Priestly, the English playwright, remembered ladies in his mother’s circle discussing The Queen’s youthful looks and concluding that her face must be like many of Fabergé’s works, ‘enamelled’. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
37
CHAPTER THREE
Fabergé: A British Royal Fascination ‘He had a rich German accent and smelt deliciously of cigars and eau de Portugal. He wore several rings set with small cabochon rubies and a cigarette case made of ribbed gold, no doubt by Fabergé. A Fabergé cigarette case was the emblem of Royalty, as symbolical as the bookies’ cigar, or the ostler’s straw.’ Violet Trefusis describing King Edward VII1
Fabergé was the last flowering of Court art and this was equally true in England as it was in Russia. Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, was Fabergé’s foremost customer in London. Bainbridge even described the opening of the London branch as a ‘modest gesture’ by Fabergé towards her. He compared her patronage with that of the Russian Emperors and described her as the the firm’s ‘Great patroness’.2 The joy that The Queen derived from Fabergé’s works was infectious and spread through her family; King Edward VII joined her in buying the firm’s work and her son King George V became one of its most discerning customers. The firm’s creations were a common sight in Royal residences and were exchanged at Royal family events. In his memoirs, The Duke of Windsor fondly remembered Edwardian Christmases at Sandringham, where the Royal family gathered to celebrate the holiday. The display of the Christmas tree and the exchange of gifts took place on Christmas Eve. A servant dressed as ‘Santa Claus’ led the Royal party to the ballroom, at the centre of which stood a fir tree with blazing candles in its branches. Around the tree, which had been cut down from the surrounding woods, tables were arranged by precedence and heaped with presents for each family member.The children’s tables were segregated from the rest and placed in a far corner. The Duke of Windsor explained that this precaution was taken in order to ‘safeguard a precious Fabergé jade masterpiece or bejewelled clock on my Grandmother’s table from becoming the casualty of a wild shot from a toy gun or misdirected football.’3
Opposite page: Her Majesty Queen Alexandra (1844-1925), wife of King Edward VII, sister of the Russian Empress Maria Feodorovna, and Fabergé’s foremost customer in London. The Queen was famed for her feminine complexion, grace of movement and good dress. Her beauty did not fade as she aged. J.B. Priestly, the English playwright, remembered ladies in his mother’s circle discussing The Queen’s youthful looks and concluding that her face must be like many of Fabergé’s works, ‘enamelled’. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
37
CHAPTER FOUR
Fabergé and the Royal Farmyard The Sandringham Commission
Fabergé’s most celebrated undertaking in Britain was the Sandringham Commission of 1907, during which Fabergé supplied perfect miniature models of the animals kept by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at Sandringham, their favourite estate in Norfolk. The commission was the largest embarked on by Fabergé in London and demonstrates the close relationship between the firm and the British Royal family. The King and Queen kept a variety of animals at Sandringham and the commission reflects their fondness for the Estate. The King had bought Sandringham House in 1863 as a country home for him and his new wife, Princess Alexandra, when he was still Prince of Wales.The estate provided her with a much-welcomed escape from the stresses of Royal life in London and the surrounding countryside reminded her of her native Denmark. Its gardens and extensive wooden parklands allowed the royal couple to indulge their love of the British countryside.The estate was well stocked with wildlife and offered good sport for The King’s shooting parties. In 1886 he opened the Royal Stud at Sandringham and began breeding racehorses there. King Edward took great pleasure from stockbreeding and Sandringham gave him the scope to pursue his interest in animal husbandry. He established herds of Irish, Scottish and English cattle on the Estate’s farm and strove to produce the very best of each breed.The King and Queen regularly attended and entered their animals in agricultural shows, often with great success. Alexandra was particularly devoted to dogs and kept a wide variety at Sandringham; in many of the photographs taken of her on the estate she is accompanied by a dog. Her private secretary noted that The Queen was ‘such a regular dogworshipper that Her Majesty likes all dogs – Dogs of any breed or description’.1 Nearby to the main house at Sandringham, twenty-six kennels, overseen by their keeper Brundson, housed an assortment of Royal Dogs.
Opposite page: King Edward VII at Sandringham, his country estate in Norfolk. Sandringham was Edward and Alexandra’s favourite residence. Their time was so precious on the estate that the clocks were set half an hour fast to make the most of daylight hours in winter; ‘Sandringham time’ was adopted at other Royal residences and kept between 1901 and 1936. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
59
CHAPTER FOUR
Fabergé and the Royal Farmyard The Sandringham Commission
Fabergé’s most celebrated undertaking in Britain was the Sandringham Commission of 1907, during which Fabergé supplied perfect miniature models of the animals kept by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra at Sandringham, their favourite estate in Norfolk. The commission was the largest embarked on by Fabergé in London and demonstrates the close relationship between the firm and the British Royal family. The King and Queen kept a variety of animals at Sandringham and the commission reflects their fondness for the Estate. The King had bought Sandringham House in 1863 as a country home for him and his new wife, Princess Alexandra, when he was still Prince of Wales.The estate provided her with a much-welcomed escape from the stresses of Royal life in London and the surrounding countryside reminded her of her native Denmark. Its gardens and extensive wooden parklands allowed the royal couple to indulge their love of the British countryside.The estate was well stocked with wildlife and offered good sport for The King’s shooting parties. In 1886 he opened the Royal Stud at Sandringham and began breeding racehorses there. King Edward took great pleasure from stockbreeding and Sandringham gave him the scope to pursue his interest in animal husbandry. He established herds of Irish, Scottish and English cattle on the Estate’s farm and strove to produce the very best of each breed.The King and Queen regularly attended and entered their animals in agricultural shows, often with great success. Alexandra was particularly devoted to dogs and kept a wide variety at Sandringham; in many of the photographs taken of her on the estate she is accompanied by a dog. Her private secretary noted that The Queen was ‘such a regular dogworshipper that Her Majesty likes all dogs – Dogs of any breed or description’.1 Nearby to the main house at Sandringham, twenty-six kennels, overseen by their keeper Brundson, housed an assortment of Royal Dogs.
Opposite page: King Edward VII at Sandringham, his country estate in Norfolk. Sandringham was Edward and Alexandra’s favourite residence. Their time was so precious on the estate that the clocks were set half an hour fast to make the most of daylight hours in winter; ‘Sandringham time’ was adopted at other Royal residences and kept between 1901 and 1936. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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CHAPTER FIVE
Their Exquisitenesses – The Rothschilds ‘If I had been given the opportunity of choosing a perpetual Father Christmas, or an uncle peculiar to myself, I would not have hesitated for one moment in choosing Mr. Leopold … For years he was perhaps the best and most discerning customer I had at Fabergé’s.’ Henry Bainbridge1
The Rothschilds were the most important customers of Fabergé in London, after the Royal family.The extension of their taste from the finest antique goldsmiths’ work to the twentieth century and Fabergé was an eloquent tribute to his craftsmanship.Their connoisseurship led Bainbridge to describe the Rothschilds as ‘Their Exquisitenesses’.2 Members of various European branches of the Rothschild family shopped at Fabergé in London, but those from the English branch were its most frequent customers; in particular, Leopold de Rothschild . He acquired some of the branch’s finest work and his immediate family’s patronage of Fabergé closely mirrored that of the Royal family. Leopold de Rothschild, the son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild, was a partner in N.M. Rothschild & Sons, the family bank in London. He became a friend of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, when they both studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. Breaking social conventions at the time, The Prince was famed for welcoming Jews into his circle and in 1881 caused a sensation by attending Leopold’s wedding to Marie Perugia in London’s Central Synagogue. Fabergé adopted a similar approach to both customers and immediately after the Sandringham Commission, embarked on a smaller scale Rothschild Commission for Leopold. Only the Royal and Rothschild families were awarded such commissions by Fabergé in London. The modelling of the Royal menagerie at Sandringham was completed by Christmas 1907 and in January 1908 Fabergé had already progressed to Ascott House, Leopold’s Buckinghamshire residence, to model his animals. The resulting carvings for both commissions were produced simultaneously in Russia.3
Above: Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917), the most important non-royal customer of Fabergé’s London branch and who acquired many of its most sophisticated works. Reproduced with the permission of The Rothschild Archive
Opposite page: The wedding of Leopold de Rothschild and Maria Perugia in the Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street, London, UK. Artokoloro Quint Lox Limited / Alamy Stock Photo
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CHAPTER FIVE
Their Exquisitenesses – The Rothschilds ‘If I had been given the opportunity of choosing a perpetual Father Christmas, or an uncle peculiar to myself, I would not have hesitated for one moment in choosing Mr. Leopold … For years he was perhaps the best and most discerning customer I had at Fabergé’s.’ Henry Bainbridge1
The Rothschilds were the most important customers of Fabergé in London, after the Royal family.The extension of their taste from the finest antique goldsmiths’ work to the twentieth century and Fabergé was an eloquent tribute to his craftsmanship.Their connoisseurship led Bainbridge to describe the Rothschilds as ‘Their Exquisitenesses’.2 Members of various European branches of the Rothschild family shopped at Fabergé in London, but those from the English branch were its most frequent customers; in particular, Leopold de Rothschild . He acquired some of the branch’s finest work and his immediate family’s patronage of Fabergé closely mirrored that of the Royal family. Leopold de Rothschild, the son of Baron Lionel de Rothschild, was a partner in N.M. Rothschild & Sons, the family bank in London. He became a friend of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, when they both studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. Breaking social conventions at the time, The Prince was famed for welcoming Jews into his circle and in 1881 caused a sensation by attending Leopold’s wedding to Marie Perugia in London’s Central Synagogue. Fabergé adopted a similar approach to both customers and immediately after the Sandringham Commission, embarked on a smaller scale Rothschild Commission for Leopold. Only the Royal and Rothschild families were awarded such commissions by Fabergé in London. The modelling of the Royal menagerie at Sandringham was completed by Christmas 1907 and in January 1908 Fabergé had already progressed to Ascott House, Leopold’s Buckinghamshire residence, to model his animals. The resulting carvings for both commissions were produced simultaneously in Russia.3
Above: Leopold de Rothschild (1845-1917), the most important non-royal customer of Fabergé’s London branch and who acquired many of its most sophisticated works. Reproduced with the permission of The Rothschild Archive
Opposite page: The wedding of Leopold de Rothschild and Maria Perugia in the Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street, London, UK. Artokoloro Quint Lox Limited / Alamy Stock Photo
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CHAPTER EIGHT
Fabergé’s Patrons
Fabergé’s principal customers in London were the friends and courtiers of Kings Edward VII and George V. The tastes and pastimes of British High Society were essentially feudal, so the Royal family’s endorsement of Fabergé’s work made it highly fashionable and desirable in the Royal circle. King Edward VII’s court differed dramatically from that of his mother, Queen Victoria. He balanced his duties with enjoying the luxuries that his position afforded him; with little care for restraint, he indulged in food, house parties, shooting, horseracing and the company of women. The barriers of class and creed, which had stymied Queen Victoria’s life, were ignored and his circle included both traditional aristocratic members and those from the newly moneyed, who were able to amuse. Fabergé’s primary British patrons came from both groups: bankers, brewers and entrepreneurs joined the landed aristocracy shopping at its London branch. Many came from the hedonistic ‘Marlborough House Set’, which surrounded Edward VII when he was the Prince of Wales. Constance Gwladys, Countess de Grey, later Marchioness of Ripon was typical of the firm’s patrons at Court. The beautiful Lady de Grey had been a member of the Marlborough House Set and became an influential Edwardian hostess, who Bainbridge placed first in the ranks of great Edwardian ladies.1 Her circle of friends extended from royalty to artists and writers. She promoted Oscar Wilde and he light-heartedly dedicated his play A Woman Of No Importance to her. She was also a Russophile and, on her father’s side, descended from Count Vorontsov, the Russian Ambassador to Britain at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Fabergé’s work was only one outlet for her appreciation of Russian arts and culture. After attending the debut performance by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris, she was instrumental in arranging for the ballet troupe’s British debut at Covent Garden in the summer of 1911. According to Mrs. Hwfa Williams, the Edwardian socialite, Countess de Grey was inseparable from the ballet.
Opposite page: Constance Gwladys, Countess de Grey, later Marchioness of Ripon (1859-1917) by John Singer Sargent. The Marchioness was an intimate friend of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Bainbridge described her as having a ‘poise naturally aristocratic’. Photograph courtesy of Richard Ormond
139
CHAPTER EIGHT
Fabergé’s Patrons
Fabergé’s principal customers in London were the friends and courtiers of Kings Edward VII and George V. The tastes and pastimes of British High Society were essentially feudal, so the Royal family’s endorsement of Fabergé’s work made it highly fashionable and desirable in the Royal circle. King Edward VII’s court differed dramatically from that of his mother, Queen Victoria. He balanced his duties with enjoying the luxuries that his position afforded him; with little care for restraint, he indulged in food, house parties, shooting, horseracing and the company of women. The barriers of class and creed, which had stymied Queen Victoria’s life, were ignored and his circle included both traditional aristocratic members and those from the newly moneyed, who were able to amuse. Fabergé’s primary British patrons came from both groups: bankers, brewers and entrepreneurs joined the landed aristocracy shopping at its London branch. Many came from the hedonistic ‘Marlborough House Set’, which surrounded Edward VII when he was the Prince of Wales. Constance Gwladys, Countess de Grey, later Marchioness of Ripon was typical of the firm’s patrons at Court. The beautiful Lady de Grey had been a member of the Marlborough House Set and became an influential Edwardian hostess, who Bainbridge placed first in the ranks of great Edwardian ladies.1 Her circle of friends extended from royalty to artists and writers. She promoted Oscar Wilde and he light-heartedly dedicated his play A Woman Of No Importance to her. She was also a Russophile and, on her father’s side, descended from Count Vorontsov, the Russian Ambassador to Britain at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Fabergé’s work was only one outlet for her appreciation of Russian arts and culture. After attending the debut performance by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris, she was instrumental in arranging for the ballet troupe’s British debut at Covent Garden in the summer of 1911. According to Mrs. Hwfa Williams, the Edwardian socialite, Countess de Grey was inseparable from the ballet.
Opposite page: Constance Gwladys, Countess de Grey, later Marchioness of Ripon (1859-1917) by John Singer Sargent. The Marchioness was an intimate friend of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Bainbridge described her as having a ‘poise naturally aristocratic’. Photograph courtesy of Richard Ormond
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APPENDIX ONE
Henry Charles Bainbridge Henry Charles Bainbridge was Fabergé’s agent in London. His accounts of the London branch in his autobiography, Twice Seven, and his second book, Peter Carl Fabergé, his life and work, remain the principal sources regarding the company’s activities. Bainbridge was born on 25 May 1874 in Middleton-in-Teesdale in County Durham. He was the son of Charles Bainbridge, a superintendent of the London Lead Company’s mining works in the area. The Bainbridges were a prominent family in their community and Henry had a happy childhood. His father had succeeded his grandfather as superintendent of the works and Henry was groomed to take over from him. His predestined life path was diverted by the decline in Teesdale’s lead industry following increased competition from overseas in the late 19th century. This forced his family to leave the area and move to Colwyn Bay in North Wales; Henry chose not to stay with his family and went instead to seek his fortune in London. By 1899 he was lodging in the home of Mrs. Isabelle Griffiths at 69 Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead, North London. Through his family’s association with the lead industry he found work in the city as a research assistant in a white lead works owned by the German born chemist and industrialist Ludwig Mond. As a result of his work, Bainbridge developed lead poisoning in 1902. With financial support from Mond, he gave up his job and left his lodgings in Hampstead to convalesce with his family, who had by now moved to Bushey Heath, a village to the north of London.The poisoning affected Bainbridge badly and the enforced inactivity made him despondent. He described his time in Bushey Heath as an interregnum in which he was left stranded. Life was not all misery for him, however, as while recuperating he met a young woman named Violet Powell.Their meeting was particularly fortuitous since it was she who introduced him to Fabergé. Violet’s mother was Julia Powell, the elder sister of Arthur and Allan Bowe. Unable to return to Mond’s lead works due to the poisoning, Bainbridge was in need of employment and in 1904 Violet sent Bainbridge to see Arthur for a job.
his fellow countryman Mr. William Koch de Gooreynd of the stockbrokers Panmure Gordon. Uninvited and full of trepidation, but armed with a letter of introduction from Houdret, Bainbridge went to Koch’s office. He remembered entering the busy stockbroker’s office and handing over his letter, feeling like ‘a kitten on a red-hot plate’. His fears were misplaced as Koch knew of Fabergé’s work and was delighted at the opportunity to examine his wares. Bainbridge had serendipitously happened upon the perfect customer and Koch bought goods worth £500. Upon his return to the branch with Koch’s payment in hand, Bainbridge was invited by Arthur Bowe to join the business. The prospect of him becoming a shopkeeper did not fill Bainbridge’s family with glee. Coming from prominent North Country stock they felt it would be more appropriate for him to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers and enter a gentlemanly profession, such as law or banking. Despite his family’s hesitation, he chose to stay with Fabergé and became an indispensable member of staff. When Carl Fabergé dissolved his partnership with the Bowes and took direct control of the branch, he recognised the importance of maintaining continuity and asked Bainbridge to stay on and manage the business in tandem with his son, Nicholas.To give him a greater understanding of his new role, Bainbridge was invited to visit Russia. In October 1906, he travelled to St. Petersburg for the first time. His trip came at a time of instability; the revolution of 1905 was rumbling on and Bainbridge saw ‘spies everywhere’.The beauty of the city dazzled him, of his first approach to the city, he wrote, paraphrasing Lord Byron:‘Far away on the skyline I gazed at my dream come true, at that proud “Tiara of Towers” – St. Petersburg – “rising like a symbol in the desert” and I held my breath’.1
Bainbridge’s interview with Arthur was unconventional and it was decided that he would prove his potential to the business by taking stock to sell. Jules Houdret, the Belgian Consul General for the Congo Free State, who was an acquaintance of Bainbridge, advised him to visit
Opposite page: Henry Bainbridge and Agathon Fabergé examining Fabergé exhibits at the Exhibition of Russian Art, staged in 1935 at 1 Belgrave Square, the home of Mrs. de Gooreynd, who was a customer of Fabergé in London before the Great War. Agathon also accompanied Bainbridge to the first exhibition devoted to Fabergé’s work in Western Europe, hosted by Wartski, the London Fabergé dealers in 1949. Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Right: The business card for Fabergé's shop at 173 New Bond Street and Henry Bainbridge's card identifying him as 'Manager of C. Fabergé's London, Branch'. The Bainbridge Papers
215
APPENDIX ONE
Henry Charles Bainbridge Henry Charles Bainbridge was Fabergé’s agent in London. His accounts of the London branch in his autobiography, Twice Seven, and his second book, Peter Carl Fabergé, his life and work, remain the principal sources regarding the company’s activities. Bainbridge was born on 25 May 1874 in Middleton-in-Teesdale in County Durham. He was the son of Charles Bainbridge, a superintendent of the London Lead Company’s mining works in the area. The Bainbridges were a prominent family in their community and Henry had a happy childhood. His father had succeeded his grandfather as superintendent of the works and Henry was groomed to take over from him. His predestined life path was diverted by the decline in Teesdale’s lead industry following increased competition from overseas in the late 19th century. This forced his family to leave the area and move to Colwyn Bay in North Wales; Henry chose not to stay with his family and went instead to seek his fortune in London. By 1899 he was lodging in the home of Mrs. Isabelle Griffiths at 69 Broadhurst Gardens, Hampstead, North London. Through his family’s association with the lead industry he found work in the city as a research assistant in a white lead works owned by the German born chemist and industrialist Ludwig Mond. As a result of his work, Bainbridge developed lead poisoning in 1902. With financial support from Mond, he gave up his job and left his lodgings in Hampstead to convalesce with his family, who had by now moved to Bushey Heath, a village to the north of London.The poisoning affected Bainbridge badly and the enforced inactivity made him despondent. He described his time in Bushey Heath as an interregnum in which he was left stranded. Life was not all misery for him, however, as while recuperating he met a young woman named Violet Powell.Their meeting was particularly fortuitous since it was she who introduced him to Fabergé. Violet’s mother was Julia Powell, the elder sister of Arthur and Allan Bowe. Unable to return to Mond’s lead works due to the poisoning, Bainbridge was in need of employment and in 1904 Violet sent Bainbridge to see Arthur for a job.
his fellow countryman Mr. William Koch de Gooreynd of the stockbrokers Panmure Gordon. Uninvited and full of trepidation, but armed with a letter of introduction from Houdret, Bainbridge went to Koch’s office. He remembered entering the busy stockbroker’s office and handing over his letter, feeling like ‘a kitten on a red-hot plate’. His fears were misplaced as Koch knew of Fabergé’s work and was delighted at the opportunity to examine his wares. Bainbridge had serendipitously happened upon the perfect customer and Koch bought goods worth £500. Upon his return to the branch with Koch’s payment in hand, Bainbridge was invited by Arthur Bowe to join the business. The prospect of him becoming a shopkeeper did not fill Bainbridge’s family with glee. Coming from prominent North Country stock they felt it would be more appropriate for him to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers and enter a gentlemanly profession, such as law or banking. Despite his family’s hesitation, he chose to stay with Fabergé and became an indispensable member of staff. When Carl Fabergé dissolved his partnership with the Bowes and took direct control of the branch, he recognised the importance of maintaining continuity and asked Bainbridge to stay on and manage the business in tandem with his son, Nicholas.To give him a greater understanding of his new role, Bainbridge was invited to visit Russia. In October 1906, he travelled to St. Petersburg for the first time. His trip came at a time of instability; the revolution of 1905 was rumbling on and Bainbridge saw ‘spies everywhere’.The beauty of the city dazzled him, of his first approach to the city, he wrote, paraphrasing Lord Byron:‘Far away on the skyline I gazed at my dream come true, at that proud “Tiara of Towers” – St. Petersburg – “rising like a symbol in the desert” and I held my breath’.1
Bainbridge’s interview with Arthur was unconventional and it was decided that he would prove his potential to the business by taking stock to sell. Jules Houdret, the Belgian Consul General for the Congo Free State, who was an acquaintance of Bainbridge, advised him to visit
Opposite page: Henry Bainbridge and Agathon Fabergé examining Fabergé exhibits at the Exhibition of Russian Art, staged in 1935 at 1 Belgrave Square, the home of Mrs. de Gooreynd, who was a customer of Fabergé in London before the Great War. Agathon also accompanied Bainbridge to the first exhibition devoted to Fabergé’s work in Western Europe, hosted by Wartski, the London Fabergé dealers in 1949. Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Right: The business card for Fabergé's shop at 173 New Bond Street and Henry Bainbridge's card identifying him as 'Manager of C. Fabergé's London, Branch'. The Bainbridge Papers
215
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