An enamelled gold mounted hardstone box
by Carl Fabergé,

of rectangular form, with six panel of rhodonite mounted in yellow gold, the hinged lid edged with opaque
white enamel bands containing trails of finely chased bellflowers, contained in its original silk and
velvet lined fitted hollywood case , the lid silk stamped in Cyrillic 'Fabergé,
Petrograd, Moscow London' beneath the Russian Imperial warrant.

Chief Workmaster: Henrik Wigström,
Petrograd, 1914-1916,
inventory number: 23134,

12.2 cm by 6.7 cm by 3.5 cm

St.  Petersburg was renamed Petrograd in 1914.

Rhodonite is a form of manganese silicate which derives its name from 'rhodon' the
Greek work for rose. Fabergé knew the stone as Orletz and sourced his supplies from
the Ural Mountains in Siberia.

Provenance:

Purchased from Faberge's London branch by Mrs WB Leeds on 14th December
1916 for £75, it is described in Fabergé's ledgers as 'box pink orletz, gold & enal',
the box bears Fabergé's English hallmarks.

Mrs. Leeds was an American millionairess who resided in Grosvenor Square. She was
one of Fabergé's most important customers, acquiring sixty-five pieces chiefly between
1915 and 1916. She was a prominent member of London society and later became Princess
 Anastasia of Greece by marrying Prince Christopher of Greece.

The Royal collection contains a smaller enamelled gold mounted Rhodonite box of rectangular
 from, bought from Fabergé by the Duchess of Roxburghe and given to Queen Mary in 1910.

For additional information regarding the above piece please contact Wartski 

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