An incredible album of rare, recently discovered drawings from the Carl Faberge workshop in St. Petersburg is reproduced in its entirety. Over 1,000 pieces are illustrated, essential components of Faberge's oeuvre during a period considered to be one of the richest in terms of quality and design. These objects - produced primarily from 1911 to 1913 - are drawn to scale in pencil, pen and ink, nearly all of them beautifully filled in with watercolor. In addition to the album, there are illustrations of 40 objects found by the authors juxtaposed with their original drawings as well as contemporary photographs of Faberge's workshops. The text examines the pieces in both their social and artistic contexts including relevant source materials.
The first book to be dedicated to the British branch of Faberge, covering its fascinating history from its opening in 1903, to its closure in 1917. Royalty, Aristocrats, American heiresses, exiled Russian Grand Dukes, Randlords, Maharajas, Socialites and financiers with newly made fortunes flocked to Faberge in London to buy gifts for each other. This book is the first dedicated to the glittering history of Faberge's British branch, from its opening in 1903 to its closure in 1917. The Imperial Russian Goldsmith's London branch was the only one outside of Russia and its jewelled and enamelled contents were as popular there as they were in St. Petersburg or Moscow. Using previously unreferenced sources and a newly discovered archive of papers relating to Faberge in London, Kieran McCarthy studies the branch's structure, customers and exclusive stock. The most expensive sale made by Faberge in London, of a diamond tiara priced for £1400, cost one hundred times the annual wage of a scullery maid. It will be of interest to enthusiasts of the decorative arts, the social history of the Edwardian Golden Age and especially of European Royalty. Faberge's works were and continue to be intimately associated with the British Royal Family. For Violet Trefusis, daughter of King Edward VII's mistress Mrs. Keppel and lover of Vita Sackville-West, A Faberge cigarette case was the emblem of Royalty, as symbolical as the bookies cigar, or the ostler's straw. AUTHOR: Kieran McCarthy is a director of Wartski, the London Court Jewellers who specialises in the work of Carl Faberge. He is on the advisory board of the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg, is a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths' and a fellow of the Gemmological Association. He has written and lectured extensively about Carl Faberge. He advises collectors and institutions on Faberge's work and recently revealed the rediscovery of one of the lost Imperial Faberge Easter Eggs. 191 colour, 86 b/w
The chronological arrangement of 1,772 comprehensive citations are translated and annotated in English. Exhibition and auction dates, as well as auction prices are included. ...a work of scholarly significance...comprehensive, not to say exhaustive, and is well presented and easy to use... a most valuable tool.--REFERENCE REVIEWS ...One is filled with awe at the dedication that must have been needed to compile this work. --GEM AND JEWELRY NEWS
For more than 25 years Carl Faberge and his firm served as jeweler and goldsmith to the tsars of Russia and other influential people. Here, straight from the St. Petersburg archives, jewelry expert Snowman reproduces hundreds of drawings and photographs (most in full color) from two newly discovered Faberge design books.
