Posted on 05/19/2005 6:33:36 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Leading jewellery experts are not so convinced, but refuse to say so publicly
MOSCOW. A group of Russian collectors thought to include some of Russia’s richest oil barons is claiming to own two Fabergé Easter eggs made for the Tsar. The eggs in question are currently on display in Moscow at the Museum of the History and Reconstruction of Moscow near Red Square. Fabergé experts are not convinced by the objects’ supposed imperial provenance.
The exhibition, held under the patronage of President Putin, includes works from Gokhran, the State depository of precious metals and gemstones, the Russian State Archives, and the Russian State Historical Museum. The eggs, however, are on loan from a Moscow association of private art and antique collectors calling themselves the Russian National Museum (RNM).
Scholars currently recognise 50 imperial Fabergé eggs. The two eggs belonging to the RNM are a Wooden Egg and a Constellation Egg. If authentic, they would be numbers 51 and 52. Both are said to date to 1917 which would make them the last two eggs created for the Imperial family. The Wooden Egg is made of Karelian birch, a material much prized by Maria Fedorovna, mother of Nicholas II, for whom the RNM says the egg was intended.
It is not known exactly who owns the two eggs because the identity of the RNM’s members and even their precise numbers are closely guarded secrets. RNM director, Alexander Ivanov, will only say that the group is motivated by “patriotism”, and seeks to repatriate Russian works of art to Russia.
Mr Ivanov says the eggs were acquired in 2003 and 2004 from a European owner for “a lot of money”. The Wooden Egg opens up, but the surprise inside that consisted of an elephant figure studded with over 600 rose-cut diamonds has been lost. Mr Ivanov said work on both eggs was never fully completed since the Tsar abdicated on 2 March 1917, a few weeks before the eggs were to be delivered in time for Easter.
“Many people think an imperial egg must have lots of gold and diamonds”, says Mr Ivanov. “But this egg was made of Karelian birch during a time of war.”
In 1919, Fabergé’s chief designer, Franz Birbaum, wrote: “The eggs made for Easter 1917 were not finished, and some people whom I didn’t know proposed completing them and [finding] a buyer. The company [Fabergé] did not accept this proposition”. The text is quoted in an article published by the RNM and signed by Mr Ivanov, Tatiana Fabergé, the granddaughter of Karl Fabergé, and Valentin Skurlov.
Mr Skurlov, a leading Fabergé archival researcher, says that a full evaluation of the Wooden Egg has been carried out. The object’s metal has been analysed and the archival evidence has been closely examined. The results indicate that the egg is authentic, he says.
Peter Schaffer, one of the owner’s of A La Vieille Russie, a leading Russian objets d’art gallery in New York, says there is “a lot of controversy” surrounding the Wooden Egg.
The Constellation Egg has divided scholars even more. Mr Skurlov says he has not analysed this object and is not prepared to comment on it. The Art Newspaper approached many Fabergé scholars to ask about the two eggs. Many were unwilling to comment. With Fabergé pieces fetching record prices, such reticence might be a prudent business strategy, since all freely admit that the RNM has been an important customer.
“We only know of one Constellation Egg‚ and it’s at the Fersman Museum [in Moscow]”, says Tatyana Muntyan, the chief Fabergé specialist at the State Kremlin Museum. “I don’t know which Constellation Egg Mr Ivanov is supposed to have because he has never showed me anything”. Mr Schaffer is equally mystified by the RNM’s claims to own a Constellation Egg.
Mr Ivanov says his Constellation Egg is authentic and that the one in the Fersman Museum was originally created by Fabergé to become a lighting fixture.
I got some perfume left over from my ex wife....I just bought three dozen eggs on sale at Pathmark....
yeah I had to buy the bacon and orange juice too
.....I'm gonna be rich!!!!
Can they be used for stem cell research?
Now, if the missing Romanov Emerald shows up, that would really be something...
Art Ping.
Let me know if you want on or off the list. Sam Cree is away for a week or so longer, so Liz and I have the ping list.
Please rush me one blue Faberge Egg (# 247) before Easter 2006....I would like to pay for it with Pay Pal..include the cost of first class shipping and insurance
Nikolai
I'm skeptical.......with the country in the hands of the corrupt oligarchs, this "find" smells to high heaven.
The collector of many fabulous authentic Faberge eggs--although I believe his heirs sold off some of them----was Malcom Forbes.
I just like any art story, from ancient to contemporary, so I post what I see on FR under Art as a topic. After I finish grading a pile of exams, I hope to explore other avenues for fun art stories and post those.
There was a huge Faberge exhibition here in Richmond in 1996. The Richmond Museum of Fine Arts owns a pretty sizeable collection of Faberge artifacts. But this exhibition in 1996 gathered things from all over the world. It was amazing.
The final part of the exhibition was a "pick the fake" exhibit. There are a lot of good fakes out there.
I am a little skeptical that these are true Faberges.
Of course....all art stories are fair game for discussion.....the need to know drives the forum.
There's several wonderful books on Faberge's work out there. The Forbes collection book is worth having in one's art library.
Seeing this exhibit was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My sister and I spent hours looking at the art, the portraits of all past czars, and the formal & everday dishes, utensils, wine glasses, etc. used by Nicholas and Alexandra.
Interesting was the intricately-carved small pony sled and toys used by the royal children. It was also fascinating to see how small were the dresses worn by the Czarina and the uniforms of the Czar and some of his officers. They were really tiny people in those days.
The swords and other side arms used through the dynasties were studded with jewels and were works of art in themselves.
I love Russion art (pre-Revolution, of course).
Leni
I think this deserves a GGG PING.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on, off, or alter the "Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list --
Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
The GGG Digest -- Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
The largest collector of Faberge Eggs and other memorablia at one time was the Queen of England. I recently read that The Forbes Collection was sold back to Russia.
Curiously, many of the things that were created in the Faberge workshops were sold packaged in Karelian Birch Boxes. I have several pieces myself.
I have seen alot of pictures of the eggs and they are all egg shaped but the one they show in the picture that they call the constellation egg appears to be round. ;>)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.