Carl Faberge jewelry masterpieces

Moon brooch. Gold, silver, diamonds, matte rhinestone. A. Holming’s workshop. St. Petersburg, 1908-1917. 4.5 cm. Carl Faberge jewelry masterpieces

Carl Faberge jewelry masterpieces
A jeweler by birth, a manager by vocation, Carl Faberge was born in St. Petersburg in 1846 among precious metals and precious stones. He inherited his father’s jewelry production and raised the family business to unprecedented heights.
For three decades, Carl Faberge remained on the crest of popularity. Among his regular clients were the Bulgarian king, the Austro-Hungarian heir, the kings and queens of England, Italy, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, as well as the king of Siam named Chulalonghorn.
The Winter Palace had a special pantry with a stock of ready-made gifts from Faberge. In fact, the imperial family traveled a lot and on the way gave away tons of various items with the brand of the company. For example, the Emperor of Japan was presented with a punch bowl, two candelabra, an agate vase, a silver set (a decanter with 12 glasses on a tray) and a matte gold Louis XV style hand mirror. The Chinese bogdykhan received two tiaras, a crystal thicket with a chased silver rooster, three silver vases with crystal inlays, two crystal decanters and a hairpin for a hat with a ruby and diamonds.
Every day between 4 pm and 5 pm the grand dukes came to house number 24 along Bolshaya Morskaya to see what new Faberge had put up for sale.

Beetle brooch. Gold, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, moonstone, pearls. A. Holstrem’s workshop. Russia, St. Petersburg, before 1898. Length 8 cm

It was his father, Gustav Petrovich Faberge, who founded Jewelry business in St. Petersburg. Having lived in Russia for 18 years, Faberge Sr. suddenly decided to permanently settle in Dresden. It was assumed that Carl would become the head of the company. But he easily delegated the affairs to the managers, and he himself preferred to spend time in the restoration workshops of the Imperial Hermitage. However, his own store offered a wide choice of brooches, rings, necklaces densely covered with diamonds. Noteworthy, Carl worked at the Hermitage for free.

A ring with the initials of Emperor Nicholas II and a dedicatory inscription. Gold, diamonds, rubies, enamel. St. Petersburg, 1912. Belonged to the Russian Emperor Nicholas II

Interestingly, Carl became close to the imperial court by chance. So, in 1884, the Nizhny Novgorod merchants presented Empress Maria Feodorovna with a little thing bought in Faberge store, and she liked the gift. It was a bunch of lilies of the valley made of pearls and diamonds in a miniature golden basket. As a result, Faberge jewelry became fashionable at the court, and Carl was inspired to create new jewelry masterpieces.

Carl Faberge jewelry masterpieces

Heraldic brooch in the form of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. Gold, platinum, diamonds, rubies, diamonds. Moscow, 1913

Aquamarine brooch. 1908-1917. St. Petersburg. Aquamarine, diamonds, topaz, gold, silver

Beetle brooch. Gold, diamonds, diamonds, guilloché enamel. A. Holming’s workshop, St. Petersburg, before 1898. Length 3 cm. Russian National Museum

Beetle brooch. Gold, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, moonstone, pearls. A. Holstrem’s workshop. Russia, St. Petersburg, before 1898. Length 8 cm

Black beetle brooch. Gold, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, moonstone, pearls. A. Holstrem’s workshop. Russia, St. Petersburg, before 1898. Length 8 cm

Brooch from the study of His Imperial Majesty. Gold, silver, diamonds, guilloché enamel. St. Petersburg, early XX century. 5.2 cm

Bumblebee brooch. Gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, opal, St. Petersburg, 1904-1908

Butterfly brooch. Gold, opals, emeralds, diamonds

Egg shaped pendant. Gold, diamonds, turquoise, garnets. Craftsman M. Perkhin, St. Petersburg, before 1898. Length 1.6 cm. Russian National Museum

Flower pendant. Gold, ruby, diamonds

Fly on the harp brooch. Gold, silver, diamonds, diamonds, sapphires, pearls. Moscow, 1899-1908

Gift brooch. From the office of His Imperial Majesty. Gold, sapphires, guilloché enamel. St. Petersburg, 1912.13.4 cm

Gorgeous beetle brooch. Gold, diamonds

Heart Brooch with a branch of mistletoe. Gold, sapphires, diamonds 1900

Horse shoe brooch. Gold, diamonds, enamel

Iris brooch. Gold, diamonds, stone cutting

Lily of the valley brooch. Gold, silver, diamonds, sapphire. St. Petersburg, 1899-1903

Medallion from the study of Nicholas II. Gold platinum, jade, miniature on bones, diamonds, diamonds. Workshop of G. Wigstrem, miniaturist V. Zuev. St. Petersburg, 1908-1917

Mouse on the spoon tie pin. Silver, gold, diamond

Necklace with sapphires. Gold, silver, sapphires, diamonds, diamonds. St. Petersburg, 1914-1917. 4.5 cm

Olive branch and X brooch of gold and diamonds

Owl pendant. Gold, silver, pearls, window and colored enamels. Moscow, 1916-1917

Pansy Brooch. Moscow, 1887-1896. Master O. Pil. Moonstone, diamonds, gold, carving. Moscow Kremlin Museums

Peacock pendant. Gold, diamonds, pearl, ruby

Pendant with the monogram of the Grand Duchess Maria Maximilianovna. Gold, rubies, rose-cut diamonds. St. Petersburg, late 19th century. Russian National Museum