A highly important jewelled three-color gold and guilloché enamel Imperial Presentation Frame
A highly important jewelled three-color gold and guilloché enamel Imperial Presentation Frame

MARKED FABERGÉ, WORKMASTER HENRIK WIGSTRÖM, ST. PETERSBURG, 1896-1908

Details
A highly important jewelled three-color gold and guilloché enamel Imperial Presentation Frame
marked Fabergé, workmaster Henrik Wigström, St. Petersburg, 1896-1908
Rectangular, with stiff-leaf border and surmounted by an Imperial diamond crown and gold ribbon cresting, the engraved sunray ground enamelled in translucent pale lilac, with opaque white enamel rectangular and oval borders, the corners applied with foliate mounted diamonds, the central panel with gemset ribbon-tied garlands between stiff-leaf borders, with diamond bezel enclosing a portrait miniature by Zuev depicting Tsar Nicholas II in the uniform of the Chevalier Garde Regiment, with scroll strut, marked on rim and strut, the miniature numbered 368 on reverse
41/8in. (10.5cm.) high
Provenance
The gift of the Tsar to Abol-Ghasem Khan Gharagozlou, Nasser-ol-Molk, Regent of Persia 1910-1913
Thence by descent
Christie's Geneva, 17 November 1981, lot 200

Lot Essay

Educated in England and at the University of Oxford with Lord Curzon and Edward (later Sir Edward) Gray, Nasser-ol-Molk was president of the Persian pro-constitutionalist cabinet of 1907. Arrested and thrown in goal by the anti-constitutionalist Mohammad Ali Shah, he was saved from execution after intervention by the British legation. He was regent during the minority of the last Qajar ruler, Soltan Ahmad Shah, from 1910 to 1913 when the latter reached his majority.

Researching the archives of the Imperial Cabinet and based on the number on the back of the miniature, Valentin Skurlov was able to locate to which Imperial Presentation frame was allocated the above miniature depicting Tsar Nicholas II in the uniform of the Chevalier Gardes regiment. The above Imperial Presentation frame bought at the cost of 2,300 roubles from the Fabergé firm was given to Nasser-ol-Molk, regent of Persia on 8 June 1914.
There were only 30 Imperial Presentation frames ever produced and offered to 16 important dignitaries or Heads of States. 16 such frames are known to have been made by Fabergé with the possibilities of three others. Eleven of these frames were given to foreigners, including this example.

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