MAGNIFICENT RUSSIAN IMPERIAL HAND CARVED JADE and SILVER BIRD
A unique Russian jade figurine of a bird with red stones eyes in the gold setting.
One of the silver legs is marked with '84' Russian standard silver marks, the other leg has assay marks and 'WH' for Henrik Wigstrom, St Petersburg, FABERGE workmaster - please see information below.
CONDITION: Overall condition is good. The item is described to the best of our knowledge. Please refer to pictures and email with any questions.
DIMENSIONS: H: 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm).
RELATED LITERATURE: A. Kenneth Snowman, The Art of Carl FABERGE, London, 1953.
LOT NOTES: Some of FABERGE's most charming miniature carved figures of animals are made from highly-figured agates often found in Russia's Ural Mountains. Stones were carefully selected so as to enliven the tiny creatures; the coloring of the stone suggesting the natural variations in fur, feathers, or hide. When combined with the lively and expressive carving, the variations from red to brown to grey add a convincing realism to this figure of a bird.
ESTIMATE PRICE: $200 - $4,000.
You have a GREAT CHANCE to purchase a unique item for your collection - over the years it will only INCREASE in price.
HISTORY of SALES: A few years ago figures of animals made by FABERGE from stone were sold on Live Auctioneer for $8,500 and $22,000, on Sotheby's for $68,750 and $127,219 !! - please see the screenshots.
OFFER: If an item is NOT SOLD, you can still give us a reasonable offer - please save the link of this page. Selling on consignment.
SALE: For some reason, 90% of all items are GOING DOWN in PRICE dramatically. Your gain - my loss. Please make a BID.
PAYMENT: Wire transfer, Check or Money Order payment are also available.
PAY in PARTS: You can pay for any item during 3-6 months. Just make a deposit 10% and the item will wait for you.
SHIPPING: Let us Handle Your Shipping. We are one of the few places that offer full service shipping. For your convenience we will ship your item - shipping costs will be included in the invoice. Combined shipping is available - next item will be ONE DOLLAR for shipping.
PLEASE NOTE: If you want to buy this item, please make a bid NOW. Any offer is welcome. Some lots, that do Not Have any Bids on them, WILL be CLOSED before the auction is started and will not be included in it. Now, there are 1200+ items for preview, but there will be only 450 items in the Live Auction and ONLY with bids.
WELCOME: We welcome bidders from ANY country in the WORLD.
NEW: Returning customers will have 50% DISCOUNT on shipping.

WORKMASTER: Henrik Immanuel Wigstrom (1862-1923) was one of the most important FABERGE workmasters along with Michael Perchin. Perchin was the head workmaster from 1886 until his death in 1903, when he was succeeded by his chief assistant Henrik Wigstrom. These two workmasters were responsible for almost all the imperial Easter eggs. Erik August Kollin, a Finn, was head work master from 1870 to 1886 and produced gold jewellery, including pieces in the Scythian style (the Scythian treasure had just been discovered at Kerch in the Crimea). August Wilhelm Holmstrom (who had been appointed head jeweller by Gustav FABERGE in 1857) was born in Ekenas, Finland. Henrik Wigstrom was apprenticed to a local silversmith named Petter Madsen, a successful manufacturer of silverware who was familiar with the jewellery trade in St. Petersburg, as at one time he had had a workshop there. Once in Madsen's employment, his master 's trade with Russia, as well as his numerous business contacts here, brought him to work in St. Petersburg. It is unknown who employed Wigstrom on his arrival in the capital, but Wigstrom became assistant in 1884, at the age of 22, to Perchin, whose shop at that time was already working exclusively for FABERGE. Wigstrom became head workmaster at FABERGE after Perchin's death in 1903. The number of craftsmen in Wigstrom's workshop diminished drastically with the outbreak of World War I. By 1918, the Revolution forced the complete closing of the House of FABERGE. Aged 56, Wigstrom retreated almost empty-handed to his summer house, on Finnish territory, and died there in 1923. His art is similar to Perchin's but tends to be in the Louis XVI, Empire, or neo-classical style. Nearly all the FABERGE hardstone animals, figures and flowers from that time period were produced under his supervision.

N.B.: All lots are sold in as-is condition at the time of sale. Please note that any condition statement regarding works of art is given as a courtesy to our clients in order to assist them in assessing the condition. The report is a genuine opinion held by V.N. Collectible Auctions and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report or a photograph does not preclude the absence of defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of any others. V.N. Collectible Auctions, including its consultants and agents, shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.

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