Jewelry

Faberge stone flowers

The most famous works of Carl Faberge are, of course, the famous Easter eggs. However, connoisseurs of jewelry art consider its flowers to be a true masterpiece. The “pedigree” of exquisite Faberge stone flowers has oriental roots.

The leading foreman of the company Franz Bierbaum left a written testimony: “For the first time we drew attention to this branch of Chinese art, when they brought us a bouquet of chrysanthemums to be repaired. Thanks to the skillful selection of tones and transparency of some of the stones, this work made an excellent impression.

Faberge stone flowers – Chinese bouquet

Faberge Dicenter flowers magnificent, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, rhodonite, quartzite.
Faberge Dicenter flowers magnificent, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, rhodonite, quartzite.

A precious herbarium began with the restoration of the Chinese bouquet. Faberge caught fire, began to come up with his own flower arrangements. He approached every business thoroughly: a greenhouse was built at the Moscow workshop they grew plants that served as “models” for stone bouquets. A working album of Faberge has survived with detailed photographs of fresh flowers, including lilies of the valley, which served as a prototype for the Empress’s basket.

Basket with lilies of the valley

Faberge stone flowers. Basket with lilies of the valley, Faberge firm, master August Holstrom. 1896 Gold, silver, jade, pearls, diamond
Basket with lilies of the valley, Faberge firm, master August Holstrom. 1896 Gold, silver, jade, pearls, diamond

In 1896, Alexandra Feodorovna received a bunch of Faberge lilies of the valley as a gift from the merchants of Nizhny Novgorod a copy of an ancient Chinese palace decoration. The Empress was delighted with pearl-diamond lilies of the valley with jade leaves, in a golden basket. Since then, this bouquet has usually been on her table.

Faberge stone flowers. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries
Strawberries, raspberries, cherries

The designers of the Faberge house have repeatedly repeated wild rose, lilies of the valley, mountain ash, raspberry, dandelions. The vases were almost always made of rock crystal, the transparency of which created the illusion of a vessel filled with water. Stems, usually gold, with special engraving. Leaves are jade, delicately carved or enamelled. Flowers were usually not branded they were too fragile. There was no stigma on the Faberge platinum either.

Dandelion

Dandelion
Dandelion

The famous “Dandelion” is now kept in the Kremlin Armory. Stem of gold, leaves of jade. But the most striking thing is natural dandelion fluff at the ends of the silver stamens. Until now, jewelers cannot understand how Faberge managed to fix the most delicate fluff, which crumples from any touch. But even this was not enough for the master, there are small rose-cut diamonds scattered on top, which sparkle like morning dew under the right lighting. Scientists have long doubted the naturalness of the feathers. An expert from the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University was invited to the museum, who confirmed: yes, this is real fluff and named the date of collection. Which absolutely identified the rarity with the year of production.

Pansies
Pansies. Faberge firm, master G. Wigström. Rock crystal, diamonds, glass, bone, gold. M. Kremlin Museums
Faberge firm, master G. Wigström. Rock crystal, diamonds, glass, bone, gold. M. Kremlin Museums

“Pansies” is the only flower in the world of Faberge equipped with a mechanism with portrait miniatures. The flower was made in 1904 and presented by Nicholas II to Empress Alexandra Feodorovna for the tenth anniversary of their marriage. When the button is pressed, the petals of the flower open and miniature portraits of the daughters and son of the imperial couple become visible.

 

Faberge stone flowers. Faberge flowers Crown chubushnik, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, quartzite, olivine. Holly, 1908, rock crystal, gold, jade, purple.
Faberge flowers Crown chubushnik, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, quartzite, olivine. Holly, 1908, rock crystal, gold, jade, purple.
Faberge stone flowers. Bouquet in a vase, Jeremiah Pozier, 1740, Hermitage collection.
Bouquet in a vase, Jeremiah Pozier, 1740, Hermitage collection. Faberge stone flowers
Precious cornflowers, St. Petersburg, 1900
Precious cornflowers, St. Petersburg, 1900
K. Faberge - Brooch Iris with diamonds, carved stone with an iris
K. Faberge – Brooch Iris with diamonds, carved stone with an iris
Lily of the valley. K. Faberge. Gold, pearls, jade, rock crystal.
Lily of the valley. Faberge stone flowers. Gold, pearls, jade, rock crystal.
Narcissus, firm of K. Faberge, after 1904. Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Narcissus, firm of K. Faberge, after 1904. Hermitage, St. Petersburg
Rowan, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, purple.
Rowan, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, purple.
Faberge flowers Cornflowers and buttercups, 1900 Rock crystal, gold, enamel, diamonds, rubies.
Faberge flowers Cornflowers and buttercups, 1900 Rock crystal, gold, enamel, diamonds, rubies.
Faberge flowers Cornflowers and oats, 1900 Rock crystal, gold, enamel, diamonds
Flowers Cornflowers and oats, 1900 Rock crystal, gold, enamel, diamonds
Faberge Dicenter flowers magnificent, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, rhodonite, quartzite.
Faberge Dicenter flowers magnificent, 1900, rock crystal, gold, jade, rhodonite, quartzite.
Faberge flowers Field daisies, 1903-1908, gold, silver, enamel, jade, diamonds. Bindweed, 1900, bowenite, jade, gold, enamel, diamonds.
Field daisies, 1903-1908, gold, silver, enamel, jade, diamonds. Bindweed, 1900, bowenite, jade, gold, enamel, diamonds. Faberge stone flowers
Faberge flowers Seryozhka, 1900, rock crystal, red and yellow gold, jade.
Faberge flowers Seryozhka, 1900, rock crystal, red and yellow gold, jade.
Pansies. Firm of K. Faberge Author, master G. Wigström (1862 - 1930).
Pansies. Firm of K. Faberge Author, master G. Wigström (1862 – 1930).