The Diversity of the Fabergé Workshops

Amidst virtuoso goldsmithing, sophisticated enameling techniques, and the finest stone carving, three objects dating from the early era of the House of Fabergé encapsulate the diversity of Russian luxury arts around 1900. As part of the “Jewellery & Watches” auction on May 19 in Cologne, Lempertz presents three works that serve as exemplary representatives of the distinct artistic styles of the Fabergé workshops.

This is particularly impressively demonstrated by a rare cream box (Lot 26) from the workshop of the goldsmith Eduard Wilhelm Schramm. This small gold box captivates with its hammered surface and a filigree-crafted lid featuring a violet motif composed of sapphire cabochons and diamonds. Schramm, who hailed from Germany, was known for finely hammered gold boxes of this type and supplied Fabergé with them.

The Fabergé mechanical pencil from the workshop of Michael Perchin possesses a character entirely distinct (Lot 25). Translucent pastel-blue enamel over a guilloché ground, diamond-set silver details, and a moonstone cabochon combine technical sophistication with the playful elegance of the “Fin de Siècle”. Perchin shaped the House’s renowned aesthetic like few others, and, in particular, perfected the sophisticated technique of guilloché enamel.

The third piece (Lot 24) finally leads us into the world of the famous and immensely popular Fabergé animal figures. This small pig, crafted from rosy chalcedony, captivates with its astonishingly lifelike design: finely engraved bristles, a meticulously carved curly tail, and ruby eyes lend the miniature an almost palpable personality. Inspired by Japanese netsuke, these hardstone figures remain to this day among the most charming - and simultaneously most technically sophisticated - creations of the House of Fabergé.

Together, these three lots illustrate the extraordinary breadth of the Fabergé workshops - and how materials, techniques, and individual mastery converged to create that unmistakable aesthetic of luxury that continues to make the name Fabergé famous to this day.