Carl Fabergé (1846-1920) was born into a St Petersburg family that created jewellery. Young Carl, trained in Russia and Germany, was in the right place and the right time. When he took over the family business, he created a firm that became closely linked to the romance, glamour and tragedy of the Romanovs.
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He worked in the Hermitage's Jewellery Gallery and by the mid-1880s was named goldsmith and jeweller to the Russian court. His works were first displayed at the 1882 Pan-Slavic exhibition held in Moscow under the patronage of Czar Alexander III. See examples of the work from the 1880s.
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3 Imperial Easter eggs created by Carl Fabergé are being lent by Moscow Kremlin Museums to the UK for the first time. Altogether the V&A will display 200+ of the most stunning ornaments ever produced. Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution will run from Nov 2021-May 2022, Covid allowing.
The Fabergé story may have been quite familiar to the world, but less well known was his UK branch, the only one outside Russia. The V&A Exhibition will explore Faberge’s little known success in London; the shop that opened in Dover St and moved to New Bond St London in the Edwardian era attracted a clientele of royalty, nobles and wealthy businessmen. Faberge had been famous for creating intricate, golden bejewelled ornaments for Russian Tsars to give to their wives, but apparently rich British husbands loved them also. It closed in 1917.
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By far the largest Imperial egg sent to the V&A was the Moscow Kremlin Egg (1906), which was inspired by the architecture of Dormition Cathedral in Moscow. In the base of the egg was a gold music box that had two traditional Easter hymns, played when the clockwork mechanism was wound up. The hymns were favourites of Czar Nicholas II.
The Kremlin Museums’ next treasure was the Alexander Palace Egg (1908) which featured the children of last Tsar Nicholas II & his wife Alexandra. The richness came from diamonds, gold, rubies and jade; the miniature watercolour paintings on ivory were also stunning. The detailed replica of Alexander Palace, the Imperial family's favourite home in Tsarskoye Selo, was made of gold, enamel and rock crystal.
Finally the Romanov Tercentenary Egg (1913) had very rich materials: gold, silver, diamonds, turquoise, porphyry, rock crystal & watercolour painting on ivory. The egg celebrated the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty, 300 years of Romanov rule from 1613-1913. The egg was decorated in a chased gold pattern with double-headed eagles as well the Romanov crowns that framed the Tsars’ portraits.
Through Fabergé’s creations, the exhibition will explore timeless stories of love and blatant social climbing. For example see a Faberge cigarette lighter given to Edward VII by his mistress, Alice Keppel. The Queen has lent the V&A some of the royal Fabergé collection, including personalised pieces made for King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. And the Basket of Flowers Egg, commissioned in 1901 by Nicholas II as an Easter present for his wife.
Carl Faberge married Augusta Jacobs in 1872 and had 4 surviving sons: Eugene (1874-1960), Agathon (1876–1951), Alexander (1878–1952) and Nicolas (1884-1939). The House of Fabergé was nationalised by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Carl Fabergé left Petrograd by train for Riga, then to Germany. The Bolsheviks gaoled his sons Agathon and Alexander. Mrs Fabergé and Eugène crossed the border into Finland in Dec 1918. Alexander later escaped from prison, and Agathon left the USSR for Finland with his family. In 1924 Alexander and Eugène successfully opened Fabergé in Paris.
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Kieran McCarthy wrote the book Fabergé in London: The British Branch of the Imperial Russian Goldsmith (2017). It is of great interest to fans of the decorative arts, the Edwardian Golden Age and European Royalty.
Romanov Tercentenary Egg,
made from gold, silver, diamonds 1913
Moscow Kremlin Museums
Four factors led to his success, bringing him to the attention of the Russian Imperial Court:
1] His work coincided with the rise and fall of the Romanovs, from their vast wealth to their abrupt deaths.
2] He had great creative skills
3] He had beautiful craftsmanship and
4] He used precious metals and gorgeous gemstones.
2] He had great creative skills
3] He had beautiful craftsmanship and
4] He used precious metals and gorgeous gemstones.
He worked in the Hermitage's Jewellery Gallery and by the mid-1880s was named goldsmith and jeweller to the Russian court. His works were first displayed at the 1882 Pan-Slavic exhibition held in Moscow under the patronage of Czar Alexander III. See examples of the work from the 1880s.
The Alexander Palace Egg, Fabergé,
gold, diamonds, rubies 1908
Moscow Kremlin Museums
Fabergé began making Imperial Easter eggs when Tsar Alexander III commissioned one as an Easter present for his wife, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, in 1885. It became a Romanov tradition for the next 3 decades. There were 50 surviving Imperial Easter eggs in collections around the world, the most famous being manufactured under the goldsmith's direct supervision between 1885-1917.
3 Imperial Easter eggs created by Carl Fabergé are being lent by Moscow Kremlin Museums to the UK for the first time. Altogether the V&A will display 200+ of the most stunning ornaments ever produced. Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution will run from Nov 2021-May 2022, Covid allowing.
The Fabergé story may have been quite familiar to the world, but less well known was his UK branch, the only one outside Russia. The V&A Exhibition will explore Faberge’s little known success in London; the shop that opened in Dover St and moved to New Bond St London in the Edwardian era attracted a clientele of royalty, nobles and wealthy businessmen. Faberge had been famous for creating intricate, golden bejewelled ornaments for Russian Tsars to give to their wives, but apparently rich British husbands loved them also. It closed in 1917.
The Moscow Kremlin Egg, Fabergé.
Gold, silver, onyx, glass, enamel 1906
Moscow Kremlin Museums
The Kremlin Museums’ next treasure was the Alexander Palace Egg (1908) which featured the children of last Tsar Nicholas II & his wife Alexandra. The richness came from diamonds, gold, rubies and jade; the miniature watercolour paintings on ivory were also stunning. The detailed replica of Alexander Palace, the Imperial family's favourite home in Tsarskoye Selo, was made of gold, enamel and rock crystal.
Finally the Romanov Tercentenary Egg (1913) had very rich materials: gold, silver, diamonds, turquoise, porphyry, rock crystal & watercolour painting on ivory. The egg celebrated the tercentenary of the Romanov dynasty, 300 years of Romanov rule from 1613-1913. The egg was decorated in a chased gold pattern with double-headed eagles as well the Romanov crowns that framed the Tsars’ portraits.
Through Fabergé’s creations, the exhibition will explore timeless stories of love and blatant social climbing. For example see a Faberge cigarette lighter given to Edward VII by his mistress, Alice Keppel. The Queen has lent the V&A some of the royal Fabergé collection, including personalised pieces made for King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. And the Basket of Flowers Egg, commissioned in 1901 by Nicholas II as an Easter present for his wife.
Carl Faberge married Augusta Jacobs in 1872 and had 4 surviving sons: Eugene (1874-1960), Agathon (1876–1951), Alexander (1878–1952) and Nicolas (1884-1939). The House of Fabergé was nationalised by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Carl Fabergé left Petrograd by train for Riga, then to Germany. The Bolsheviks gaoled his sons Agathon and Alexander. Mrs Fabergé and Eugène crossed the border into Finland in Dec 1918. Alexander later escaped from prison, and Agathon left the USSR for Finland with his family. In 1924 Alexander and Eugène successfully opened Fabergé in Paris.
Faberge's only shop outside Russia
New Bond St, London
Closed in 1917
Kieran McCarthy wrote the book Fabergé in London: The British Branch of the Imperial Russian Goldsmith (2017). It is of great interest to fans of the decorative arts, the Edwardian Golden Age and European Royalty.