Empress Alexandra Feodorovna: An Imperial Fabergé Guilloché Enameled Gilt Silver Cendrier. Fabergé, Workmaster Feo...

Description

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna: An Imperial Fabergé Guilloché Enameled Gilt Silver Cendrier
Fabergé, Workmaster Feodor Afanassiev, St. Petersburg, 1908-1917, and with scratched inventory number 19158
5-3/8 x 2-5/8 x 0-1/2 inches (13.7 x 6.7 x 1.3 cm)
176 grams

PROVENANCE:
Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, invoiced January 18, 1911, for 90 rubles;
Christie's London, Russian Art, November 29, 2010, lot 270;
Fabergé Heritage Collection, Inv. No. 50.

EXHIBITED:
Fabergé at Harrods, April 1-21, 2014, cat. 70.

ILLUSTRATED:
Habsburg, G., ed., Fabergé at Harrods, Harrods, London: 2014, p. 36, cat. no. 70.


Recent research in the Russian archives has revealed that this Cross of St. Andrew-themed small tray or cendrier was invoiced to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in 1911, at a cost of 90 rubles. The Empress often presented gits to "her sailors," or, members of the Naval Guard Equipage, and the naval saltire was a common theme for these gifts.

For a clock of similar design by work master Hjalmar Armfelt, see Géza von Habsburg, Fabergé, Imperial Craftsman and his World, 2000, cat. 718; a frame of similar design by work master Anders (Antii) Nevalainen is in the Virginia Museum of Arts, see Géza von Habsburg, Fabergé in America, 1996, cat. 136.

Heritage Auctions thanks Dr. Valentin Skurlov for his assistance with the research of this lot, as well as Anna and Vincent Palmade for their guidance.



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