A jewelled gold mounted agate basket
by Carl Fabergé,

carved from a single piece of Russian agate banded with red and black
colouring, in a waisted form of circular cross section, the handles lengths
of twisted gold rope bound by a diamond set bow, secured to the body by
cabochon rubies centring trefoil motifs, the base encircled by a rope
of gold, knotted in three places to form the feet.

Chief Workmaster: Michael Evamplevitch Perchin,
St. Petersburg, 1899-1903,
inventory number: 9400.
 
Height including handle 10.3 cm.

Fabergé whimsically modelled a small number of his pieces on furniture and
household accessories. This piece, carved from a specimen sample of agate,
represents a household basket. The Royal collection contains a hardstone
miniature table by Michael Perchin in the Louis XVI taste (RCIN 9030).
King Farouk’s Fabergé collection included, in addition to this
basket, a miniature nephrite watering can and an enamelled bidet.

Provenance:

King Farouk of Egypt.

Purchased by Wartski from the auction of King Farouk’s treasures at the
Koubbeh Palace, Cairo, on Wednesday 10th March 1954,
lot 113, illustrated in the catalogue plate one.

Private English Collection.