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Animal Magic: Quirky and charming some 20 hardstone carved animals by Fabergé come up for sale
Animal MAGIC
Alongside this month’s landmark Fabergé exhibition at the V&A, a significant single owner collection by the Russian maker goes under the hammer, including a number of charming miniature animals
This month sees a collection of 86 pieces of Fabergé offered for sale, the scope of which is described as second only to that included in the Royal Collection Trust. It was amassed by the pharmacist Henry Woolf, a successful businessman and owner of the London-based pharmaceutical company Underwoods the Chemists who died in 2019 and began collecting Fabergé in the early ‘70s.
According to Christel Ludewig McCanless from the Fabergé Research website, Woolf's collection was: “Created of utter instinct coupled with an intuitive capacity to recognise perfection.”
Woolf had a particular interest in Fabergé’s carved
Above A number of tiny hardstone animals by Fabergé goes under the hammer in London this month
Right A jewelled and gold-mounted chalcedony model of a duckling by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1900, with rose-cut diamondset eyes and gold feet; in the original fitted case, 4cm high, has an estimate of £20,000-£30,000 creatures and collected some of the finest examples to appear on the market.
This month, as part of Christie’s autumn Russian art sales and coinciding with Fabergé: Romance to Revolution opening at the V&A on November 20, 20 animals, ranging from a gold-footed duckling to a playful cat, will go under the hammer in London with low estimates starting at £10,000.
As well as the hardstone animals, the broader Woolf collection comprises four main groups in total: functional works of art; Japonisme-inspired pieces and Russianstyled pieces.
FABERGÉ ANIMALS
The House of Fabergé reinvigorated the Russian market in many ways, aside from its famous eggs. One such was its small carvings created to flaunt the rich varieties of Russian stones to great effect. Entire menageries of stone animals were created with Japanese netsuke carvings in mind but amber eyes were more often superseded by tiny diamonds or rubies in the Fabergé iterations.
As his business grew, Carl Fabergé carefully tailored his works to his growing British clientele after the establishment of the first shop outside Russia in London in 1903. Inside, the store manager Henry Bainbridge invited European monarchs, Indian maharajas, English aristocrats and American heiresses to acquire the ultimate status symbols — exquisite ornaments, objects and jewels shipped straight from the Fabergé workshops in St Petersburg and marked with a London stamp. Soon, after a royal intervention, one of the favourite ranges become Fabergé’s animals.
The upturn was sparked in part after Fabergé made a model of Edward VII's fox terrier, Caesar, in 1907. After its success the monarch went on to commission an entire diminutive carved menagerie of all the animals on his country estate at Sandringham in Norfolk. The result was the largest group of Fabergé's hardstone creature carvings in existence, including turkeys, pigeons and sheep — even the king's pet bear.
QUEEN ALEXANDRA
His wife Queen Alexandra soon became a devotee. Such was her insatiable appetite for Fabergé’s animal figures that she would regularly be given them on birthdays and special occasions, as well as purchasing them directly from the London shop. Her birthday table was described by Viscount Knutsford as containing numerous animals, which were augmented by further examples as she received her birthday gifts in 1909.
Franz Birbaum, one of the firm's head work masters, attested to their popularity in his 1919 memoirs where he wrote: "Many highly placed people collected these figures, and others knew that additions to the collections were favourably received."
An inventory of the possessions of Empress Maria Feodorovna and Emperor Alexander III compiled by the director of the Anichkov Palace after 1917 lists more than one hundred Fabergé stone animals.
COUNTESS DE TORBY
Alongside the well-heeled of London society, two other names appear in Bainbridge’s ledgers with frequency: Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich (1861-1929) and his wife Sophie of Merenberg, Countess de Torby (18681927) who formed a collection specifically of Fabergé’s elephants.
The Grand Duke was the grandson of Tsar Nicholas I and had been born in the Peterhof Palace in St. Petersburg. He was stripped of his titles, however, and banished from Russia after eloping to Sanremo, Italy, with his bride. Despite being the granddaughter of the poet Alexander Pushkin, she was deemed unworthy of the Grand Duke.
The exiled couple eventually settled in London, renting Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath. They were close friends of the king and queen, regularly visiting them at Sandringham.
As well as elephants, her collection included an agate dachshund and an obsidian crow.
Above left A jewelled gold-mounted composite hardstone model of a blue tit by Fabergé, St Petersburg, apparently unmarked, 5cm long has an estimate of £50,000£70,000 in this month’s sale
Above A model of a duckling by Fabergé, workmaster Henrik Wigström, St Petersburg, 1899-1904, with finely chased gold feet, marked under feet with workmaster's initials, 6.5cm, has an estimate of £25,000£35,000
Above right A jewelled citrine model of a schnauzer by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1900, with rose-cut diamondset eyes, apparently unmarked, 4cm long, has an estimate of £10,000-£15,000
Below right A jewelled agate model of a rabbit by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1900, with rose-cut diamondset eyes, apparently unmarked, 4.5cm long, has an estimate of £15,000-£25,000
SKILFUL PROCESS
Fabergé began his production of animals around 1900 initially relying on outside sources for most of his hardstone carvings, including the stone-carvers of Ekaterinburg and Karl Woerffel’s lapidaries.
In 1908, his firm opened its own stone-cutting department, taking the production of animals to a new level. Fabergé employed both sculptors, who modelled animals in wax, and carvers, who implemented the design in stone.
The Sandringham commission gives an insight into the challenging process involved in creating every Fabergé hardstone animal, the techniques reflecting Fabergé’s interest in Japanese netsuke carving.
Each animal was observed first-hand to create a wax model that was then executed in Russia by Fabergé’s sculptor-stone carvers. Special attention was given to the selection of hardstones, depending on the animal's natural characteristics. Aventurine, for example, with its subtle pink colour, was often chosen for pigs, while agate, with its colourful layers, was usually selected for birds. An orange-coloured agate could be selected to mimic a ginger-haired pig, such as a Tamworth.
The production process was described by Birbaum in his 1919 memoir: "It is impossible to list all the animals that were used as themes for these figures, but it should be said that the pose was always as compact as possible, as dictated by the technique of the material. "
Central to the Sandringham commission was the Fabergé sculptor Boris Frödman-Cluzel (b. 1878), who joined the firm between 1903 and 1906 and was praised in the St Petersburg newspapers for his skill. In 1907 it
reported: "His figures of dogs and bulls, as well as people… are equally alive."
COMIC CHARACTERISTICS
Departures from naturalistic-looking animal carvings were not uncommon. The choice of stone colour – red elephants, blue rabbits and green dogs – was intended to add a humorous touch.
Once selected, the semiprecious hardstones were skilfully carved into animals with distinctively individual, sometimes comical characteristics. When the carving of each animal was completed, the animals were returned to the workshop of Fabergé’s head workmaster where the creatures were polished and mounted with intricate finishing touches. Every model was highly polished, the eyes usually set with rose diamonds, sapphires or rubies to give them liveliness, and the legs and claws were often enhanced with gold. The pieces works were then retailed though Fabergé’s exclusive outlets in St Petersburg and London.
IDENTIFYING FABERGÉ
Perhaps the hardest area of Fabergé’s production to authenticate is carved hardstone models of animals and figures. Fabergé worked with a number of talented lapidaries, such as the Imperial Peterhof Lapidary works and factories in Idar-Oberstein in Germany, sourcing hardstones for vases, boxes and whimsical models of animals.
As a result it can be very difficult to differentiate works by Fabergé from the lapidaries’ own productions. Fabergé would often repolish the figures they sold and was completely responsible for mounting them, so key elements to study can be the finish of the polish and the mounts around eyes or other jewelled elements of works in hardstone.
Below A gem-set and gold-mounted agate model of an owl by Fabergé, workmaster Henrik Wigström, St Petersburg, 1908-1917, with workmaster's initials, 4.3cm. has an estimate of £20,000-£30,000 at this month’s sale
Below left A jewelled aventurine quartz model of a warthog by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1900, with rose-cut diamond-set eyes, apparently unmarked, 6.5cm, estimated at £15,000-£25,000
Right A jewelled gold and platinum mosaic brooch by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1913, by Alma Pihl (18881976) has an estimate of £70,000-£90,000 at this month’s sale
Below right A jewelled silver and gold egg-pendant by Fabergé, workmaster Anna Ringe, St Petersburg, c. 1890, marked on loop with workmaster's initials 1.8cm high, has an estimate of £3,000-£5,000
Above Fabergé's premises at 173 New Bond Street in 1911, image courtesy of the Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow and Wartski, London
Fabergé in a nutshell
The House of Fabergé was founded by Carl Fabergé’s father, Gustav, who established the family business in St Petersburg in 1842. Carl received his jewellery training in France, Germany and Italy before taking control of the business in the early 1870s.
The firm’s appointment as Jeweller to the Imperial Russian Court in 1885, provoked a move to larger premises at 24 Bolshaya Morskaya Street. The move was completed in 1900, at which time more than 700 craftsmen were employed by the firm.
The turn of century was celebrated with L’Exposition Internationale Universelle in Paris, where Fabergé exhibited his famous Imperial Easter eggs, flower studies and jewellery. The exhibition enhanced Fabergé’s reputation and renown across Europe. In 1903, it opened a branch in London, showcasing its most ingenious objects to an international clientele. The London shop was the only official location outside of Russia and followed the opening of the Moscow and Odessa branches.
&AQ
Margo Oganesian, Christie’s Russian works of art specialist, gives her sale impressions
QHow important is the Henry Woolf Collection?
AIt is an extraordinary private collection of Fabergé marking a very important sale for the Russian art market and a rare opportunity for collectors (existing and new) to acquire some of the best Fabergé pieces ever made. Collections of this importance, quality and variety are a rare occurrence in the art world. It is a diverse collection of objet d’art with estimates starting from £1,000 to £200,000 so we look forward to welcoming new clients and bidding from around the world.
QWhat effect will the V&A exhibition have?
AThe Fabergé market remains strong. The V&A exhibition will undoubtedly help to further raise awareness of the Fabergé name in both the UK and around the world. There are pieces of the Harry Woolf collection on loan to the V&A for its exhibition reflecting the outstanding quality of Mr Woolf’s collection.
QWhat would you recommend for a new collector to look at in the sale?
AEstimates start from £1,000 which we hope will attract new clients. The beautiful miniature egg-pendants by Fabergé have always been very popular pieces. They were produced in large quantities but are now sought after and an eternally fashionable piece to own and make an appealing object as a first acquisition. The jewelled silver and gold eggpendant is estimated at £3,000-£5,000.
QWhat is the highlight piece for you?
AI am drawn to the famous Fabergé mosaic brooch, designed by Alma Pihl (1888-1976) and executed by her uncle Albert Holmström. Alma was largely selftaught. Her mother Fanny Holmström was the
daughter of Fabergé's workmaster, August Holmström, and her father Oscar Pihl was head of Fabergé’s jewellery workshop in Moscow. Purportedly, Alma was inspired to produce this motif when she watched her mother-in-law do needlework by the fireside.
This delicate brooch was created by hand carving minute diamonds, rubies, emeralds among other stones and fitting them into the square holes of the platinum mesh, which was also cut by hand. The same technique was used for the Imperial Mosaic Egg presented by Emperor Nicholas II to his wife Alexandra Feodorovna in 1914, which is now part of the Royal Collection. .
QAside from Edward VII and his wife who were the greatest collectors?
AThe animals were highly collectable during his lifetime, especially among English nobility and included the socialites Emilie Yznaga del Valle and her sister the Duchess of Manchester, as well as the British poet Edward James and Lady Juliet Duff.
The most important patrons of the House of Fabergé have always been the Romanovs. Empresses Maria Feodorovna, the mother of Nicholas II, and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, were great collectors of Fabergé pieces
QWhat do we know about the carvers of the animals?
AUnfortunately there is little known about the carvers. They never signed their works, unlike the silversmiths and jewellers employed by Fabergé.
We know that to begin with, Fabergé relied on outside expertise and sources for most of his hardstone carvings, including the stone-carvers of Ekaterinburg and Karl Woerffel’s lapidaries. In 1908, his firm opened its own stone-cutting department, and took the production of animals to a new level.
Fabergé employed both sculptors, who modelled animals in wax, and carvers, who implemented the design in stone.
QWhat problems does being unsigned pose to the collector or valuer?
AAnimals by Fabergé were extremely popular during the firm’s existence, and even inspired other jewellers, such as Sumin and Denisov-Uralsky, to produce similar works.
It is not surprising that after the House of Fabergé closed in 1918, the models continued to be much copied throughout 20th century.
The fact that they are largely unsigned created a challenge for collectors and specialists alike. As specialists we rely on our years of experience and expertise to recognise and value the hardstone animals.
Impeccable provenance of a piece and the original wooden case are both hugely beneficial. We are able to recognise if the work is genuine by the sheer brilliance and skill of the carving, setting of the stones and level of detail which all Fabergé’s animals have.
QWhich are the most sought after animals?
AFabergé carved animals are extremely amusing and whimsical works. Each one has its own distinct characteristics which were brilliantly captured by Fabergé’s carvers and are very sought after by collectors all around the world.
Some types of animals, like elephants or pigs, would have been produced in larger numbers due to their popularity at the time. Others, like birds or monkeys, were much rarer and therefore rare to come to market. Composite stone animals are particularly rare, as they were made of different types of stones carved separately and later assembled together (the blue tit on the previous page with an estmate of £50,000-£70,000, for example, is a rare piece).
When it comes to collectability, the type of animals, its size, type of stone, and, of course, provenance play an important role.
QWhat is so special about the animals, what makes them so coveted?
AThe animals by Fabergé are the ultimate collectables – they have no practical function and were created simply for display in the home and the amusement and delight of their lucky owners.
The joy of arranging and rearranging them in groups is never ending. Singularly or collectively they are realistic, whimsical and many are very humorous. As they were almost always unsigned, it is very rare to have a large selection of top quality animals with such a strong provenance come onto the market.
QDo you have a personal favourite of the collection of the Fabergé animals?
AI love the model of a playful cat in agate as well as the rhinoceros in kalgan jasper. The cat is a wonderfully realistic piece of the animal in action
A jewelled kalgan jasper model of a rhinoceros by Fabergé, St Petersburg, c. 1900, in the original fitted Fabergé wooden case, 6cm long, has an estimate of £20,000£30,000 in the sale
suggesting that there is also a mouse it has just caught.
The rhinoceros is a very surrealist and abstract piece. Both belonged to Edward James, a British poet and patron of the surrealist art movement.
Another favourite of mine is the aventurine quartz model of a pig carved in a humorous style. Fabergé’s customers loved models of well-fed pigs, as they were supposed to bring good fortune.
QAre there any yet-to-be discovered animals?
AUnlike the Imperial Easter eggs, of which only around 50 were produced, hardstone animals were created in large numbers.
We still get an occasional surprise when someone brings us a large model of a certain animal, unlike anything we saw before, but there is not a known list of ‘missing’ animals within the industry.
As the popularity of carved animal models took off, Fabergé also started producing hardstone figures of Russian types, be it a coachman or a milkmaid. Some of these figures are still unaccounted for and I am hoping that one day someone might bring us one of these models discovered from their attic!
A selection of Fabergé masterpieces from the collection of Harry Woolf including 20 carved animals, takes place at Christie’s on November 29, for more details go to www.christies.com
