BY FABERGÉ, CIRCA 1898, WITH PARTLY ERASED SCRATCHED INVENTORY NUMBER ON THE BASE

Details

A JEWELLED GOLD BOWENITE ASH-TRAY SHAPED AS A FROG
by Fabergé, circa 1898, with partly erased scratched inventory number on the base
Realistically carved, with gold-mounted cabochon garnet eyes, apparently unmarked
3½in. (8.9cm.) long

Provenance

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Grand Duke Ernest Ludwig of Hesse and the Rhine, brother of the above
The Hon. David Geddes
Christie's London, 24 July 1979, lot 162

Literature

von Solodkoff, A. Materpieces from the House of Fabergé, New York, 1984, p. 166, ill. Forbes, C. & Tromeur-Brenner, R. Fabergé, The Forbes Collection, New York, 1999, p. 176, ill. p. 177

Exhibited

Fort Worth, The Kimbell Art Museum, Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1983, no. 22
Baltimore, The Baltimore Museum of Art, Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1983/84. no. 10
Detroit, The Detroit Institute of Arts, Fabergé, The Forbes Magazine Collection, 1984, no. 27
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, Fabergé in America, 1996/97, no. 243, p. 243, 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

Amongst the numerous Fabergé carved animals she owned, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna acquired only one ash-tray shaped as a frog with garnet eyes with scratched inventory number 50451 on July 26, 1898 for 150 rubles.

It is interesting to notice that the first Fabergé invoices sent to the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna were written in German, her mother tongue.

We are most grateful to Valentin Skurlov for the above information.

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