Ruzhnikov Fine art & antiques
FabergĂŠ Works of Art
Collection of Hardstone Animal Carvings
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Jewelled Obsidian Model of a Sparrow by Fabergé in original fitted case length: 7.5 cm Provenance: Madam Yznaga, sister of Consuelo Duchess of Manchester Literature: G. C. Munn, ‘Fabergé and Japan’ // The Antique Collector, January 1987 (illustrated)
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A study of a sparrow carved in the Japanese taste from a single piece of obsidian; its eyes set with cabochon rubies; contained in its original silk and velvet lined fitted holly wood box, the inside lid stamped ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa’ beneath the Imperial Warrant. 6
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An Unusually Large Nephrite Study Of A Terrapin by Fabergé length: 11.3 cm Literature: G. Munn, ‘Fabergé and Japan’ // The Antique Collector, January 1987, p. 40 (illustrated)
An unusually large nephrite study of a terrapin; the carapace, outstretched head and tail meticulously modelled, the eyes set with diamonds in gold bezels; in Wartski fitted case. 9
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Jewelled Agate Model of Three Labrador Puppies by FabergĂŠ
length: 6.7 cm Provenance: Ludvig and Mary Nobel family
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A composite naturalistically modelled study of three seated labrador puppies nestling together carved from striated brown agates, the puppies to the left are carved from a striated agate orientated to give the dogs pale chests and muzzles, the puppy to the right is carved from a separate predominantly brown stone; the eyes set with rose-cut diamonds; in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Nephrite Model of an Eagle by Fabergé height: 7.6 cm engraved under its right foot ‘C. Fabergé’ and scratched with Fabergé inventory no. 22503 Provenance: Purchased by Princess Cecile Murat for £68.00 during a sales trip to Paris by Fabergé’s London branch in December 1912 Sold by Isabelle Murat on June 6, 1961, lot 88, the eagle was illustrated on the cover of the catalogue Literature: K. McCarthy, Fabergé in London: The British Branch of the Imperial Russian Goldsmith, London, 2017, p. 201 (illustrated)
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A study of an eagle naturalistically carved from a single piece of Siberian nephrite, with outstretched open wings and rose-cut diamond eyes; contained in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Obsidian Model of a Bear by Fabergé length: 5 cm Provenance: In 1935, the bear appeared in a photograph of the collection of Fabergé animals of Lady Zia Wernher, a morganatic daughter of a member of the Russian Imperial family. Most likely, the bear belonged to Lady Juliet Duff who exhibited a Fabergé ‘obsidian bear’ in the London exhibition of Russian Art in 1935.
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A figurine of a bear carved from a single block of Siberian obsidian, its eyes set with rose-cut diamonds; contained in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Lioness by FabergĂŠ length: 9 cm
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A naturalistic lioness carved with great precision from a single piece of greybrown agate, the head proudly raised, the tail resting lazily on her back, her feet tucked in comfortably beneath; set with rose-diamond eyes; in a later fitted box.
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Polar Bear by FabergĂŠ height: 5 cm
A naturalistically carved in honey-coloured agate with cabochon ruby eyes.
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Jewelled Bowenite Model of a Bulldog by Fabergé height: 4.2 cm
A pale green bowenite carving of a Grand Prix Bulldog, with rose-cut diamond eyes and a demantoid garnet set collar with a suspended gold medal inscribed ‘I Prix’ in French.
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Models of bulldogs were frequently repeated by FabergÊ’s craftsmen in various hardstones, poses and sizes being extremely popular with his clientele. A similar bowenite carving, along with six other bulldogs, is in the British Royal Collection (RCIN 40052).
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Jewelled Chalcedony Model of a Pug by FabergĂŠ length: 4.7 cm
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A finely modelled study of a standing pug carved from a single piece of chalcedony; the stone is orientated so that reddish colouring appears on the dog’s head and chest; mounted with a diamond-set yellow gold collar suspending a gold bell; contained in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Agate Model of an Orangutan by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case height: 6.3 cm
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A carved figurine of an orangutan made from striated brown agate, set with rose-cut diamond eyes; contained in its original silk and velvet-lined wooden case stamped ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow, London’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Hare by FabergĂŠ height: 5 cm
An agate realistically modelled carving of a seated hare with rose-cut diamond eyes.
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Important Jewelled Nephrite Model of an Elephant by FabergĂŠ length: 7 cm Provenance: Lady De Grey Marchioness of Ripon Literature: H.C. Bainbridge, Peter Carl FabergĂŠ: Goldsmith and Jeweller to the Russian Imperial Court, London, 1949 (illustrated plate 77)
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A nephrite study of an elephant carved in the Japanese taste in standing position from a large single piece of stone, its tail swung out against its hind legs, its eyes set with rose-cut diamonds; contained in Wartski fitted case. Two similar elephants are in the British Royal Collection (RCIN40048 & RCIN 100301).
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Pig by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case length: 4 cm
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An agate carving of a pig in a standing position, its eyes set with diamonds; contained in its original fitted wooden case, lined with cream velvet and silk, the lining of the inside lid stamped in Cyrillic ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Aventurine Model of a Pig by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case length: 5.2 cm
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A model of a pig carved from a single piece of aventurine quartz, mimicking the animal’s natural colouring, of rounded form, eyes set with cabochon rubies; contained in its original fitted case, the lid satin stamped in Cyrillic ‘Fabergé, St Petersburg, Moscow’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Quartz Model of a Rabbit by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case height: 3 cm Provenance: King George of the Hellenes Robert Strauss Lord Thomson
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A brown translucent quartz carving of a rabbit with diamond eyes; contained in its silk and velvet lined fitted box stamped with FabergĂŠ mark beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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An Imperial Carrier Pigeon by Fabergé in original fitted case length: 5 cm Provenance: The pigeon was a gift from Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, sister of Tsar Nicholas II to her aunt Princess Thyra of Denmark, Duchess of Cumberland. Accompanied by a handwritten note in English, ‘From Olga of Russia, Xmas 1907’ Exhibited: Fabergé, Kunsthalle of the Hypo-Kulturstiftung, Munich, 1986-1987, no. 327 Fabergé - Cartier, Munich, Kunsthalle of the Hypo-Kulturstiftung, 2003-2004, no. 325
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A study of a pigeon carved from a single piece of obsidian in a standing position, with naturalistically chased gold legs and feet, its eyes set with rose-cut diamonds; contained in its original silk and velvet lined fitted wooden case, the inside lid stamped in Cyrillic ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Rabbit by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case length: 4.7 cm
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A study of a rabbit, naturalistically carved from white agate with pink colouring in a crouched position with alert upright ears; the eyes are set with rose-cut diamonds; in its original silk and velvet lined fitted holly wood case, the lid stamped ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Bowenite Model of a Hippopotamus by FabergĂŠ length: 5 cm
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A figurine of a hippopotamus carved in a rounded form in the manner of Japanese netsuke from a single piece of bowenite in a standing position, its eyes set with cabochon rubies; in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Aventurine Model of a Warthog by FabergĂŠ length: 6.5 cm
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An aventurine carving of a warthog set with cabochon ruby eyes; in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Bowenite Model of a Rhinoceros by FabergĂŠ length: 6.6 cm
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A bowenite realistically modelled carving of a standing rhinoceros set with garnet demantoid eyes; contained in Wartski fitted case.
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Jewelled Nephrite Model of a Squirrel by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case height: 5 cm Exhibitions: FabergĂŠ 1846-1920, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1977, no. P26
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A naturalistically carved nephrite model of a squirrel, shown in a crouching position nibbling on a nut, set with rose-cut diamond eyes in gold mounts; in original silk and velvet lined fitted case stamped with FabergĂŠ mark beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Jewelled Agate Model of a Goat by FabergĂŠ in original fitted case length: 6 cm Literature: A.K. Snowman, The Art of Carl FabergĂŠ, London, 1953, no. 210 (illustrated)
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A figurine of a goat, carved from a single piece of brown agate, with rose-cut diamond eyes; contained in its original fitted wooden case lined with silk and velvet; the interior of the lid stamped in Cyrillic ‘FabergĂŠ, St Petersburg, Moscow, London’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.
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Andre Ruzhnikov ruzhnikov.com +44-7866-638-973 +44-203-983-8383 +33-6-07-93-21-70 andre@ruzhnikov.com Skype: aruzhnikov
Credits Consultant: Ekaterina Yakushkina Photography: Andy Johnson Design: Maria Kiseleva Printed: C3 Imaging