Lot 131
131
A RUSSIAN JEWELLED SILVER AND PLATINUM-MOUNTED PALE GREEN HARDSTONE CLOCK
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more
A RUSSIAN JEWELLED SILVER AND PLATINUM-MOUNTED PALE GREEN HARDSTONE CLOCK

MARKED FABERGÉ AND WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF HENRIK WIGSTRÖM, ST. PETERSBURG, 1908-1917, WITH SCRATCHED INVENTORY NUMBER 24445

Details
A RUSSIAN JEWELLED SILVER AND PLATINUM-MOUNTED PALE GREEN HARDSTONE CLOCK
MARKED FABERGÉ AND WITH THE WORKMASTER'S MARK OF HENRIK WIGSTRÖM, ST. PETERSBURG, 1908-1917, WITH SCRATCHED INVENTORY NUMBER 24445
Rectangular of upright form, the front of the hardstone set with a rose-diamond bezel, enclosing the white enamel dial with black arabic chapter, gold laurel wreath and rosette centre and pierced gold hands, with three gold-mounted covered key-holes in the reverse, the recessed silver-mounted base enclosing the key, marked under base, 6.8 cm. high
Provenance
Purchased from the London branch 5 June 1914 by Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich for 65 pounds (341 roubles).
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Mikhail Mikhailovich (1861-1929) was the son of Mikhail Nikolaevich, brother of Alexander II. Henry C. Bainbridge, manager of Fabergé's London branch, remembered '... Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich (sic.), like all Romanoffs, equally at home on the steps of the throne or in the kitchen, ...' (H.C. Bainbridge, Peter Carl Fabergé, London, 1949, p.85). His morganatic marriage, in 1891, to Sophie, Countess of Merenberg, granddaughter of Alexander Pushkin was not recognized by Alexander III and the couple could not live at the Russian court. However, Sophie was created Countess de Torby by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg in 1891 and Queen Victoria gave the couple permission to live in England. Of their three children, their daughters Anastasia [Zia] (1892-1977) married Major-General Sir Harold Wernher, Bt. of Luton Hoo in 1917, and Nadejda [Nada] (1896-1963) married George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven in 1916. Mikhail (1898-1959) also known as Grand Duke Michael, never married but was naturalized in Great Britain in 1938 and remained a welcome visitor to the Royal household.

More from Jewellery and Faberge, from the Collection of H.R.H The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

View All
View All