Fabergé Friday

When I started writing these Fabergé Friday posts, I began by going through all the 43 surviving (of 50) Imperial Easter Eggs Fabergé created for the Russian Imperial Family. After the Russian Revolution, no more commissions for these eggs was made, for obvious reasons... But the jewel firm Fabergé still exists, and earlier this year they presented the first new Imperial Egg created in 99 years - the Fabergé Pearl Egg. It has been created to mark the 100th anniversary since the last Imperial Egg was commissioned, and Fabergé's spokeswoman, Alize Morand, says this is the first egg of several soon to be unveiled by Fabergé.

The Fabergé Pearl Egg has been hand crafted in the same manner as the original Fabergé eggs, and draws its inspiration from the formation of a pearl within an oyster. The egg is decorated with approximately 3,300 diamonds, 139 natural pearls, carved rock-crystal and mother-of-pearl set on white and yellow gold. Just like its forbearers, this egg also opens up to reveal a secret - a rare 12.17 carat grey pearl from the Arabian Gulf.

It took 20 highly-skilled craftsmen around 18 months to design, acquire the precious materials and build the egg. It was shown earlier this year at Baselworld, after which it went home to its new owner - Hussain Al-Fardan, chairman of the Alfardan Group, and founding director of Investcorp.

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Fabergé Friday

Today I want to show you another one of Fabergé's brooches! This one was made by workmaster August Hollming, sometime between 1895-1904.

The circular brooch is covered in turquoise enamel over a guilloché ground. It's framed by a band of rose-cut diamonds "tied" in a knot, ending with two pearls. In the center sits a cabochon ruby. The diameter of the piece is 2.9 cm, and for 19,764 USD it can be yours! It's currently for sale at 1stdibs. You find it here!

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Fabergé Friday

So, here we have one more of those really usable Fabergé objects you didn't know you needed - a pen rest!

The pen rest is made of nephrite, decorated with a mistletoe design of pearl and rose-cut diamond berries on a gold stem with gold leaves. The size of the piece is 0.7'' x 1.7'' x 0.9'' (1.9 x 4.3 x 2.3 cm), and it was acquired by King George V, who always kept it on his desk. It now belongs to the Royal Collection.

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Fabergé Friday

I've always been a sucker for a good alliteration. So here comes a Friday Fabergé Frame! Haha! It was made by workmaster Mikhail Perchin, sometime around the years 1899 - 1903!

 

This gilded silver, circular frame is covered with alternating panels of translucent red and opaque white enamel. The opening in the center is framed with seed pearls. Both the bow at the top, and the scrolled strut at the back are also gilded silver. The back is made of ivory, and the frame's dimensions are 3 3/4'' x 3 3/8'' (9.5 cm x 8.6 cm). It can be bought at John Atzbach Antiques for 95,000 USD.

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Fabergé Friday

During this time of year a lot of candles are being lit. So what could be of more use than a Fabergé match holder?! This one was made by workmaster Erik Kollin, sometime before 1896!

I like the mix of simple and extravagant in this one! The box itself is made of brick. But the ornate handles are of gold, formed as entwined snakes. 

On the head of each snake sits a cabochon sapphire, and between their noses they hold a pearl. The size of the box is 2.1'' x 4.5'' x 1.9'' (5.3 x 11.5 x 4.9 cm), and it was bought by King Edward VII. Now the match holder is part of the Royal Collection.

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Last Moment Christmas Gifts

Soon it's CHRISTMAAAAAS!!! If anyone had forgot I mean... My Christmas shopping is done *phew*... But if you need some last minute tips, I have a few for you!

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Bra, panties and garter belt from What Katie Did's Coco series. I just love that bra! And the brown color is a nice alternative to the "normal" black.

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French knickers - also from What Katie Did. These come in black or peach!

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The Black Currant Scones Heel from ModCloth. Vintage style shoes with a heel low enough for not getting feet aches during long parties. Yay!

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The Goodnight Kiss Gloves, also from ModCloth. Long, warm gloves with diamond-shaped cutouts decorated with red lips!

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The Fan Seashell Bag, from It's Vintage Darling. Kizzy of the blog The Dainty Dolls House, posted a picture of this bag a few days ago, and now I want one myself!

Pearl necklace in a variety of colors, with matching bracelet, from Daisy Dapper!

Come to think of it, I actually want all these things myself! Better write Santa another letter. Haha...

Fabergé Friday

I just realized I haven't shown you any of Fabergé's flower creations yet! He made many of these, and thought it fitting to start with my favorite flower - Lily of the Valley - made around the year 1899!

The delicate bell-shaped flowers are made of pearls, edged with tiny rose diamonds. They are attached to stems of gold, on which also sits a pair of Siberian nephrite leaves. The whole creation rests in a vase made out of rock crystal, carved to resemble a water-filled glass vase.

The Lily of the Valley was also the favorite flower of Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna. She used to import these flowers from the south of France, which were kept on ice during the long train ride to Russia. After buying this one from Fabergé though, she had one that never faded...

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The Great Gatsby and Tiffany

I think many of you who read this blog have waited with anticipation for the movie The Great Gatsby to start showing this year. The movie takes place in the 1920s, and will be full of amazing costumes - and jewelry! These jewels have been created by none others than Tiffany & Co. The good news are that these sparkling pieces haven't been made for the movie alone, but are part of Tiffany's The Great Gatsby Collection, and can so be bought! Together with the company's release of it's latest Blue Book Collection - which is also inspired by Art Deco and the Great Gatsby - anyone (who can afford it) can feel like the ultimate flapper girl! Here are a few of the pieces from the collections.

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The Savoy headpiece, with diamonds and freshwater cultured pearls in platinum. The aigrette can be removed and used as a brooch. The 200,000 USD. The Great Gatsby Collection.

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Hand ornament with a daisy motif, made with diamonds cultured pearls and platinum. 75,000 USD. The Great Gatsby Collection.

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Art Deco-inspired ring, with tanzanites, diamonds and platinum. 25,000 USD. The Great Gatsby Collection.

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Pearl tassel necklace, with pearls and diamonds. The Great Gatsby Collection.

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Bangle with fan motif of diamonds on black lacquer and platinum. 140,000 USD. The Great Gatsby Collection.

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Two Fish bracelet in platinum and 18k gold, with sapphires, red spinels and diamonds. 350,000 USD. The Blue Book Collection.

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Bracelet with pavé diamonds and square-cut sapphires. The Blue Book Collection. 

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Platinum tiara with diamonds, which incorporates a detachable bracelet set with nine Tiffany Yellow Diamonds in 18k gold. 335,000 USD. The Blue Book Collection.

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Diamond drop earrings. 140,000 USD. The Blue Book Collection.

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Necklace with tsavorites and round and pear-shaped diamonds in platinum. The Blue Book Collection.

Fabergé Friday

My favorite flower is Lily of the Valley, so now when the snow is finally melting away, I can start looking forward to be able to smell these lovely flowers in not too long again! For now though, we have to make do with other versions of it - like this Fabergé Lily of the Valley Locket, made between 1899 and 1903 by workmaster August Holmström!

The locket is made of gold and silver, and is covered in pearly, light blue enamel. The hight is 1 1/4 inches (3,2 centimeters).

On the front sits an Art Nouveau lily of the valley in gold, set with greyish half-pearls and rose-cut diamonds.

The inside is fitted with a glazed miniature gold picture frame. I don't know who owns this lovely little thing today, but I hope he or she wears it a lot - with a picture of a beloved one inside...

Fabergé Friday

This Friday's Imperial Easter Egg comes in place number forty-four, and is called the "Bay Tree Egg", or "Orange Tree Egg". It's from 1911!

This egg is shaped like a bay - or orange - tree, which foliage is made of finely engraved nephrite leaves. Among these leaves sits white enamel flowers with diamond pistils, and citrine, amethyst, ruby and champagne diamond berries.

The tree grows out of a quartz tub, decorated with a gold trelliswork, green laurel swags suspended from rubies, and filled with hammered gold soil. The tub itself stands on a nephrite base with four nephrite posts, connected by swags of green enamel leaves and pearls. 

The surprise is yet again one of Fabergé's amazing automatons! If the correct "berry" on the tree is turned, a portion of the foliage on the top opens up, and a little nightingale - covered in real feathers -  emerges singing while moving its head, wings and beak.

Inside the egg a little bellows produces the birdsong, as the whole tree revolves on its trunk. When the song ends, the bird automatically returns down into its nest. 

The "Bay Tree Egg" was based on a mechanical, 18th century bay tree by the French jeweler and clockmaker Richard. This egg can now be seen in the Vekselberg collection, after Viktor Vekselberg bought it in 2004, as one of nine Imperial Easter Eggs, for which he payed almost 100 million dollars...