Faberge in the Royal Collection

The Royal Collection of Faberge is one of the largest and most important in existence on a subject that has proved to be of enduring interest to the general reader and expert alike. It includes examples of the famous Faberge eggs, objects d'art, personal jewelry, and the largest collection of Faberge's animal carvings in the world. The added dimension of royal provenance, so closely interlinked with the Russian Imperial family, gives the collection a unique importance. This book explains in detail the formation of the collection, including the establishment of Faberge's London branch in the context of the link between the English, Russian, and Danish royal families. It contains essays on the principal royal collectors and their tastes; on Faberge's influence among contemporary jewelers and goldsmiths, with examples from the work of such preeminent figures as Cartier, Boucheron, and Hahn as well as from the Faberge workshops themselves; and on the ''zoo'' of animal carvings. Detailed descriptions and provenance for every item illustrated are included, as well as new research stemming from Russian archival information that has only recently become accessible to scholars in the West. No definitive guide to the Royal Collection of Faberge or account of its history has ever been published before.