An extraordinary jewelled and enamelled bowenite figure
of a Magot by Carl Fabergé

carved from bowenite in a seated position with its legs crossed, the figure’s cuffs, collar and waistband
enamelled vivid scarlet, over a dappled guillochage and edged with rose diamonds, red was the most prized
of the enamel colours used by Fabergé, as the silica flux for red contained gold and was the most expensive
to create, the collar and waistband suspending large facetted diamonds with natural pearl drops, the eyes set
with cabochon rubies and rose diamonds, its earrings
miniature ruby and pearl drops.

The figure’s head  is mounted to a lead filled silver gilt weight and the
hands are finely balance in the cuffs causing then to respectively nod
and move when the Magot is touched, the tongue carved from a single
ruby lolls simultaneously in the mouth.

St. Petersburg, before 1903.

In its original silk and velvet lined fitted hollywood case, the lid silk stamped in Cyrillic
‘Fabergé, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Odessa’ beneath the Imperial Warrant.

Fabergé’s inspiration for this figure derives from eighteenth century porcelain Magots by Meissen,
with similar movable parts. The Tsars had a considerable collection of Meiseen’s work and Fabergé
would also have had access to the firm’s work during his stay in Dresden.

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The Magot in its orginal fitted Hollywood box