September 2007

In Memoriam

Theo Fabergé (1922-2007) the grandson of Peter Carl Fabergé, and the son of Nicholas Fabergé (1884-1939), Peter Carl’s youngest son, has died. Born in London where his father was affiliated with the London branch of the House of Fabergé, Theo had a career in engineering and in the 1960’s had a successful business making wire turnings for use in aircraft instrumentation.

To improve his turning skills he restored an 1861 Holtzapfel ornamental lathe and began experimenting with precious metals, enamels and gemstones. In 1977 he was awarded a medal for an ivory casket made for the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II -- all this led to a new career.

In 1985 the St. Petersburg Collection, still trading today from the Burlington Arcade in London, was launched with the production of small-series limited editions objets d’art. His daughter Sarah Fabergé has been actively involved in this family business with her own designs. (For more details Obit in the Telegraph (UK), August 26, 2007, courtesy of Norman Horrocks).

Theo and Sarah Fabergé courtesy of Annemiek Wintraecken	Ivory casket awarded the Gertrude Crawford Medal from the Worshipful Company of Turners, courtesy of John P. Andrew

Auctions

September 18-19, 2007 Sotheby’s London
Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya sale includes a cut-glass decanter and punch bowl by Fabergé.

Exhibitions and Fairs

July 10 - 17 September 2007

The Greatest Treasures of the Russian Tsars exhibition from the Moscow Kremlin, which was in Tokyo, has moved to the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan. (Courtesy of Daryl Dao)

October 19-25, 2007

The International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show at the Park Avenue Armory, New York, includes as participants Fabergé dealers A La Vieille Russie of New York City and Wartski of London.

General News

Moscow and Boston --

Eighteen Russian – cast brass bells were consecrated in Moscow in July 2007. They are “destined for Harvard University in a trade that will see the originals returned to Russia nearly 80 years after they were saved from Josef Stalin’s religious purges.” Fabergé collector Viktor Vekselberg is funding the exchange in his campaign to bring home Russia’s cultural heritage.  (Seattle Times, 7/25/2007)
 
Moscow --

“The remains of the last czar’s haemophiliac son and heir to the Russian throne, missing since the royal family was gunned down…may have been found”, a Russian archaeologist said. (The St. Petersburg Times, 8/28/2007)

Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand visited Moscow and St. Petersburg in July of this year. King Chulalongkorn, king of Thailand and a Fabergé enthusiast, visited Russia 110 years ago in 1897.  To commemorate these two events the Thai government announced in May 2007 that it plans to spend 210 million baht ($6m) on renovating the left wing of Peterhof Palace where the late King stayed and which was the summer residence of the Romanov family. (Bangkok Post 7/18/2007)

Readers of this newsletter are invited to share information about Fabergé happenings worldwide.