MARKED FABERGÉ AND WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF JOHAN VICTOR AARNE, ST. PETERSBURG, 1896-1908

Details

A SILVER-GILT MOUNTED GLASS DECANTER AND STOPPER
marked Fabergé and with the workmaster's mark of Johan Victor Aarne, St. Petersburg, 1896-1908
The cut-glass bottle engraved on one side with the portrait of Tsar Alexander I and with his monogram and Imperial crown on the other, both surrounded by tied laurel leaves, stopper marked
7 1/8in. (17.8cm.) high

Provenance

Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 30 November 1972, lot 39 A La Vieille Russie, New York, December 1976

Literature

Waterfield, H. & Forbes, C. Fabergé Imperial Eggs and Other Fantasies, New York, 1978, no. 124, pp. 97, 135, ill. p. 97
von Solodkoff, A. Masterpieces from the House of Fabergé, New York, 1984, p. 180, ill.
Forbes, C. & Tromeur-Brenner, R. Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, New York, 1999, p. 217, ill. p. 216

Exhibited

Virginia/Minneapolis/Chicago, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, Fabergé, Selections from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1983, no 59, p. 15
Fort Worth, The Kimbell Art Museum, Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1983, no. 132
Detroit, The Detroit Institute of Arts, Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1984, no. 127
New York, Place des Antiquaires, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1987/88, no cat.
Kansas City, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine collection, 1988, no cat.
Cheekwood, The Tennessee Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1988, no cat.
Atlanta, The High Museum Antiques Show, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1988, no cat.
Seatle, The Bank of California, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1988/89, no cat.
St. Louis, The St. Louis Antiques Show, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1989, no cat.
Oklahoma, The Oklahoma Arts Center, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1989/90, no cat.
Tulsa, The Philbrook Museum of Art, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1990, no cat.
Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1990, no cat.
Memphis, The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1990, no cat.
London, Sotheby's, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1991, no. 28, p. 35, ill. p. 34
Charlotte, The Mint Museum of Art, Fabergé Silver from The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1994, no cat.
New York/San Francisco/Richmond/New Orleans/Cleveland, Metropolitan Museum of Art, H.M. De Young Memorial Museum, Museum of Fine Art, New Orleans Museum of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, IFabergé in America, 1996/97, no. 228, p. 233, ill.

Special notice

On rare occasions, Zachys and Christie's guarantee a minimum price to the consignor of property. This is such a lot. Guaranteed lots are also subject to a reserve, unless otherwise stated.

Lot Essay

For a similar XIX Century Russian bottle mounted with a similar Fabergé silver stopper, see, the Herbette Collection, Christie's Geneva, 25 May 1971, lot 235.

It was not unusual for the Fabergé firm to enhance old or functional items and to transform them into works of art.

Fabergé workmasters used to enamel old Russian coins and set them as brooches or, as in thecase of 91 in this sale, they used simple bricks setting them with silver satyrs and transforming them into match holders.

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