Baron de Forest: A Fabergé Diamond, Ruby, Silver and Gold-Mounted Nephrite Cigarette Case Fabergé, Workmaster Henrik Wigström, St. Petersburg, circa 1913, with scratched inventory number 17490 0-1/2 x 3-3/8 x 2-1/8 inches (1.3 x 8.6 x 5.4 cm) 80 grams (gross) In original Fabergé presentation case. PROVENANCE: Baron Maurice de Forest, acquired at Fabergé, London, for 38 guineas. The offered lot bears comparison to designs for a group of related cigarette cases in nephrite which appear on plate 51 of the recently published second album of Fabergé Workmaster Henrik Wigström (cf. Tillander-Godenhielm, U., Fabergé The Twilight Years, Unicorn: Lewes, 2023, p. 77). as well as to a cigarette case by Perchin and an egg-shaped bonbonnière by Wigström in the McFerrin Collection, Houston (Coll. Nos., 558 & 569) Baron Maurice de Forest (British, 1879-1968) was perhaps one of the most colorful characters of Edwardian England, as well as a collector of Fabergé. Ostensibly born to American circus performer Edward de Forest and his wife, born Julianne Arnold, Maurice was orphaned when his "parents" died of typhoid while performing in the Ottoman Empire. It was revealed that Maurice and his brother were in fact the illegitimate sons of Baron Maurice de Hirsch, and the boys were adopted by his widow. In 1900, de Forest became a naturalized subject of Great Britain, and his title of Baron de Forest was recognized for use in the United Kingdom. De Forest was a regular London client of Fabergé (cf. McCarthy, K. Fabergé in London, Acc Art Books: London, 2017). Heritage Auctions thanks Valentin Skurlov for his assistance with the research of this lot. Property from an Important Private Collection HID03101062020 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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