0 THE WORLD OF FABERGÉ In 1882 Peter Carl Fabergé took over his father’s very ordinary jewellery business. Together with his brother Agathon, he quickly transformed it into an international phenomenon. The success of the two brothers was changing the nature of the business. Out went the then fashionable style where diamonds prevailed. In came the design-led artist-jeweller with a penchant for colour through both stones and reviving the lost art of enamelling. They added objets deluxe to their repertoire, including objets de fantaisie such as the Imperial Easter Eggs, now regarded as pinnacles of the goldsmiths’ art. Today these are treasured in some of the world’s leading museums and private collections. The craftsmanship of all their creations was of the very finest standard. This formula of design and craftsmanship made Fabergé irresistible and the ultimate objects to own, as well as the gift of choice. View of the Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, St Petersburg by J M Charlemagne, 1850s 1685 - 1825 The ancestors of the current Fabergé family lived in the Picardy region of northern France. The family’s name was then Favri and they were Huguenots (French Protestants) in a predominantly Catholic country. When Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which gave Huguenots protection, they fled and headed northeast. Over the years the family’s name changed from Favri through Favry, Fabri, Fabrier to Faberge. By 1800 an artisan called Pierre Favry (later Faberge), had settled in Pärnu in the Baltic province of Livonia (now Estonia). 1830s Gustav Faberge (born in 1814) went to St Petersburg, the capital of Russia, to train as a goldsmith. Initially he worked under Andreas Spiegel, a gold box specialist, but later joined the celebrated firm of Keibel, goldsmiths and jewellers to the Emperors of Russia. The foundation laid 1842 His apprenticeship completed, Gustav Faberge changed his name to Fabergé. Either he con-sidered the accent gave his name style, or added it as ‘ge’ in Russian is pronounced ‘jay.’ He opened a jewellery shop in a basement of the city’s fashionable street, Bolshaya Morskaya and married Charlotte Jungste. 1846 The couple’s first son Peter Carl Fabergé was born. He was educated in St Petersburg. THE FORMATIVE YEARS 1860 - 1862 Gustav Fabergé retired to Dresden with his family, leaving the business in the hands of manag-ers.Peter Carl Fabergé undertook a course at the Dresden Arts and Crafts School and was a regular visitor to the Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault), the museum founded by Augustus the Strong in 1723. It contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. Agathon, the Fabergés’ second son, was born in Dresden during 1862. 1864 Peter Carl Fabergé embarked upon a Grand Tour of Europe. He received tuition from respected goldsmiths in Germany, France and England and attended a course at Schloss’s Commercial College in Paris. He also viewed the masterpieces in the galleries of Europe’s leading museums. 1866 He returned to St Petersburg and married Augusta Jacobs. His father’s trusted workmaster Hiskias Pendin acted as Peter Carl’s mentor and tutor. He became involved with cataloguing, repairing and restoring masterpieces in the Hermitage (the museum founded by Catherine the Great as a court museum). This allowed him to study the forgotten techniques mastered by goldsmiths in antiquity. He later restored and repaired the 18th century objets d’art in the Collection including the exquisite French gold and enamel snuff boxes. During this period seeds were undoubtedly sown in his mind for using the past genre as inspiration for contemporary objects. The Gallery of the History of Antique Painting in the Hermitage PETER CARL FABERGÉ TAKES CHARGE In November 2008, Sotheby’s offered pieces of Fabergé, as well as other objets de luxe. Many of the 100 pieces were given to Thyra, Princess of Denmark, by her siblings, all of whom were Fabergé aficionados. The sale realised a total of £1.95 million. Courtesy Sotheby’s 1882 Upon the death of Pendin, Peter Carl Fabergé took sole responsibility for running the company. Having seen the House’s work at the Pan-Russian Exhibition in Moscow, the Tzar Alexander III ordered it to be displayed in the Hermitage as examples of superb contemporary Russian craftsmanship. 1885 - 1886 The Emperor commissioned the company to make an Easter Egg for his Empress. Fabergé is bestowed with the coveted title, ‘goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown’. The Emperor commissioned Fabergé to make a second Easter Egg the following year. THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF FABERGÉ 1887 According to Fabergé family tradition, the company was given complete freedom for future Imperial Easter Eggs. Not even the Emperor knew what form they would take: the only stipulation was that each one should contain a surprise. The Moscow branch of the House of Fabergé opened. 1888 The House of Fabergé exhibited hors concours (not competing) at the Nordic Exhibition, Copenhagen as Eugène, Peter Carl’s eldest son, was a judge. The company was awarded a special diploma. 1890 - 1897 The St Petersburg premises doubled in size. Peter Carl received the title Appraiser of the Imperial Cabinet, therefore this formally recognised the company’s expertise. Sadly, Agathon, Peter Carl’s younger brother, died during 1895. The following year, the House of Fabergé was awarded the State Emblem at the Pan-Russian Exhibition, Nizhny Novogorod. In 1896 the House of Fabergé exhibited hors concours at the Nordic Exhibition, Stockholm. The House was granted a Royal Warrant by the Court of Sweden and Norway. INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM It possible to identify the Imperial Eggs in the cabinets. This helped to confirm that the gold egg bought by an American in the mid-West for its $14,000 scrap value, was indeed an Fabergé Imperial Egg. 1900 At the Exposition Internationale Universelle (World Exhibition) in Paris, although the House exhibited hors concours, it was awarded a gold medal and the city’s jewellers recognised Peter Carl Fabergé as maître. Additionally, he was decorated with the most prestigious of French awards – he was appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour. Two of Carl’s sons and his Head Workmaster were also honoured. Commercially the Exposition was a great success and the firm acquired a great many orders and clients worldwide. The company moved into purpose-built premises at 24 Bolshaya Morskaya containing workshops, a design studio, offices, Peter Carl’s apartment and of course a show room. The business was at the height of its success employing around 500 craftsmen and designers. It was the largest jewellery firm in Russia 1902 An exhibition of Fabergé objects and antique objects of vertue belonging to the Imperial Family received their first public exhibition in Russia at the St Petersburg mansion of Baron von Dervis. 1903 - 1906 The House of Fabergé expanded with a branch opening in London in 1903 and a branch in Kiev in 1906. Nicholas, the youngest of Peter Carl’s four sons (all of whom worked for the House), became one of the London branch managers. WAR AND REVOLUTION 1914 The outbreak of the Great War. There was an initial fall in demand for luxury goods as well as a lack of precious metals. Fabergé produced copper articles such as cruets, plates, mugs and snuffboxes. The workshops also made syringes and equipment, and parts for the military, including grenades. 1915 As Russian capital tied in foreign operations had to be repatriated to Russia to finance the war effort, the Bond Street shop closed. However, trading continued. 1916 The House of Fabergé became a joint-stock company with a capital of 3 million roubles. 1917 The remaining stock of the London branch was sold to Lacloche Frères, the Paris jeweller. Lawyers were instructed to wind up the London business. Following the Russian Revolution, the House was taken over by a ‘Committee of the Employees of the Company K. Fabergé’. 1918 The House of Fabergé was nationalised. In early October its stock was confiscated. THE FABERGÉS FLEE 1918 - 1920 In November, Peter Carl Fabergé left St Petersburg on the last diplomatic train for Riga from where he fled to Germany. In December, Eugène together with his mother, travelled in darkness by sleigh and on foot to Finland. The Bolsheviks imprisoned Agathon and Alexander, the Fabergés’ two middle sons. In June 1920, Eugène travelled to Germany to take his father to Switzerland where other members of the family had taken refuge. Peter Carl Fabergé died in Pully (near Lausanne) in September. 1924 Eugène, together with his brother Alexander (who had managed to escape from the USSR when a friend bribed guards) settled in Paris. They establish Fabergé & Cie, which traded in and re-stored objects made by the House of Fabergé, as well as general jewellery and objets d’art. The pieces they made were clearly marked Fabergé, Paris so as to avoid any confusion with items made by the House in Russia. THE FAMILY LOSES ITS NAME 1937 Sam Rubin, an American of Russian descent, started a perfume business. Upon the suggestion of his friend Dr Armand Hammer, who at the behest of Lenin became the Soviets’ first foreign concessionaire, branded his perfumes Fabergé and formed Fabergé Inc. This was done without the family’s permission. 1951 After discovering Rubin’s activities, the Fabergé family decided to settle out of court so as to avoid high legal fees. Rubin paid just US$25,000 to use their name solely for perfume. 1964 - 1989 Samuel Rubin sold Fabergé Inc to George Barrie’s cosmetic company Rayette for US$26 million. The combined company was called Rayette-Fabergé Inc. In 1971 the company’s name reverted to Fabergé Inc. in 1984 Fabergé Inc was sold for US$180 million, three years later Fabergé Inc acquired Elizabeth Arden for US$700 million. In 1989 Unilever bought Fabergé Inc (including Elizabeth Arden) for US$1.55 billion. Noting that Sam Rubin had registered the name for jewellery in 1946, it registered the Fabergé name as a trademark across a wide range of merchandise internationally and granted licenses to third parties to produce a wide range of products under the Fabergé name. Additionally it changed the name of a subsidiary from Lever Brothers Limited to Lever Fabergé Limited, meaning that the name associated with Imperial Eggs appeared on a domestic cleaning range for use in lavatories, blocked drains, cleaning kitchen and bathrooms as well as washing machines. 1990 In 1990 Victor Mayer GmbH began their relationship with Fabergé, becoming official workmasters. Victor Mayer (1857 – 1946), company founder, embodied both talent and interests, with these passed on from generation to generation in the 128-year history of the company. Mayer was an artist and art lover. From the very beginning, his focus lay on high-quality design. He had taste, enthusiasm and passion. For him, skilled craftsmanship was the decisive standard for quality and he had an infallible aptitude for finding the zeitgeist. Under the guidance of the Mohr Family today, Dr. Marcus Mohr continues to use the old traditional techniques in jewellery making, engraving, gauche, enamelling and creating objects of art. Dr. Marcus Mohr has had a long association with the Fabergé brand and they previously made jewellery under license to both Unilver and Fabergé, however this license terminated in 2008. The company still create pieces for Fabergé today as workmasters rather than as licensees. We are delighted that this collaboration continues today. THE RELAUNCH 2007 Fabergé Limited announces that it acquired the Fabergé trademarks, licenses and associated rights relating to the Fabergé name from Unilever. The Fabergé name is reunited with the Fabergé family. The Fabergé Heritage Council is established to guide the company in its pursuit of Fabergé’s original heritage of excellence in creativity, design and craftsmanship. 2009 At 9am on September 9th 2009 (09.09.09), Fabergé is re-launched with the introduction of the ‘Les Fabuleuses’ High Jewellery collection. By 31st December 2012, all the licenses granted to third parties had lapsed or been terminated and the name no longer appeared on cleaning products. 2011 Mario Testino shoots his first campaign for Fabergé starring the Russian- Lithuanian model Bee Gee as the embodiment of modern Fabergé - fusing Russian and Western cultures, past and present. This is the first Fabergé advertising campaign, capturing the brand’s glamour and storytelling. It launches in the December issues of the major glossy titles in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and the US. 2012 Paying tribute to the legendary Imperial Eggs, Fabergé launches the inaugural Big Egg Hunt, which sets two Guinness World Records and raises over $1.5 million for the Action for Children, and Elephant Family charities. 200 uniquely crafted giant eggs decorated by the likes of the Chapman Brothers, Vivienne Westwood, Giles Deacon, Zandra Rhodes, Diane von Furstenberg, Sophie Dahl and Polly Morgan are hidden across London throughout Lent for the public to hunt as many as possible. Fabergé opens its first New York boutique on Madison Avenue. Gemfields’, a world leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, acquires Fabergé 2013 Gemfields’, a world leading supplier of responsibly sourced coloured gemstones, acquires Fabergé with the aim to create a “globally recognised coloured gemstone champion”, building on Fabergé’s status as a “global brand with an exceptional heritage”. Gemfields specialises in the mining and marketing of emeralds and rubies from some of the finest sources in the world. They are proud of their leadership position and continually work to improve the awareness and delivery of sustainability within the industry all the way through to the end consumer. Gemfields’goal is to operate in a way that contributes positively to national economies, takes a leading role in modernising the coloured gemstone sector and builds lasting, sustainable livelihoods for the communities surrounding their mines. Fabergé introduces the Colours of Love Collection, renewing the Fabergé love of coloured gemstones, artistic ingenuity and craftsmanship. The collection celebrates special events and memorable moments with gemstone-set engagement, anniversary and celebratory rings. For the first time in over a century, Fabergé returns to Ukraine, opening a stand-alone boutique in the luxury shopping district at the heart of Kiev. 2014 Fabergé celebrates Easter at Harrods with a salon and exhibition space set up in the luxury store and the famed Brompton Road windows dressed in Fabergé flags. The exhibition includes an original Fabergé Egg – The Apple Blossom Egg designed in 1901, together with other treasures that have never been displayed outside a museum. The salon houses one-of-a-kind, collectible pieces designed for Fabergé by Parisian artist jeweller Frédéric Zaavy and sold in tribute to him. A scrap metal dealer in the US discovers that the curious golden objet he had bought for $500 intending to melt down for scrap is in fact the long lost third Faberge Imperial Easter Egg - Tsar Alexander III's 1887 Easter gift to his wife, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna. The egg is on an elaborate gold stand supported by lion paw feet with three sapphires on golden garlands and a Vacheron Constantin watch inside. The Egg sold for $33 million at auction and the dealer chose to remain anonymous. Fabergé’s second Big Egg Hunt sees over 260 large egg sculptures, designed by the likes of Jeff Koons, Tracey Emin, Ralph Lauren, Zaha Hadid, Nathan Sawaya, and Peter Beard, among others, placed throughout New York at the start of April to support Elephant Family and Studio in a School, a program that brings visual arts to New York City’s public schools. Inspired by the Diamond Trellis Egg, created by Fabergé in 1892, the Treillage Collection of multi-coloured rings feature diamonds, blue sapphires, pink sapphires, tsavorites, fire opals, amethysts and rubies in evocative designs. The Fabergé Pearl Egg is the first hand crafted egg in the Imperial tradition since the Russian Revolution 2015 Fabergé’s first fine watch collection is unveiled– the Fabergé Flirt, Compliquée Peacock, Fabergé Visionnaire and Summer in Provence. The Compliquée Peacock wins the Grand Prix D’Horlogerie de Genève in the Hi-Mechanical category. Inspired by the Imperial Easter Egg made in 1908 for the Empress Marie – a carved, jewelled rock crystal egg hiding an intricately enamelled gold peacock – Aurélie Picard and Geneva-based master watchmaker Agenhor design a revolutionary timepiece using peacock feathers to measure the minutes passing. The Secret Garden High Jewellery collection launches with floral jewels evoking Russian artist Marc Chagall’s effusive bouquets. Peter Carl Fabergé's flower studies in rock crystal vases are amongst his most celebrated creations. Fabergé's craftsmen also work directly from nature, capturing blossoming flowers in carved hardstone, enamel and gold with emeralds, padparadscha sapphires and raspberry rubies, surrounded by pink spinels, mint tourmalines, tanzanites, moonstones and opals. The Fabergé Pearl Egg is the first hand crafted egg in the Imperial tradition since the Russian Revolution - was crafted in collaboration with Qatari businessman and pearl collector Hussain Ibrahim Al-Fardan. The Pearl Egg’s painstakingly-crafted mother-of-pearl exterior is adorned with 3,305 diamonds and 139 white pearls with a unique 12.17 carat natural grey pearl, sourced from the waters of the Arabian Gulf. 2016 In the year Fabergé opens its timepieces workshop in Geneva, the company wins the 2016 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève in the Travel Time category with its Visionnaire DTZ Rose Gold timepiece, while Fabergé’s Lady Levity watch is shortlisted in the Ladies category. The Visionnaire DTZ uses a movement created for Fabergé by Agenhor with an imaginative way to display two time zones simultaneously. In true Fabergé style, the Visionnaire hides a secret peacock-shaped component within the movement, paying homage to Fabergé’s award-winning Compliquée Peacock watch. Inspired by a Fabergé clock made over 100 years ago and rediscovered in the company’s archives, Fabergé launches the Dalliance collection, powered by a unique mechanical movement designed by Fabergé and Agenhor that allows the hands to travel around the edge of the watch face, leaving space on the dial for bespoke designs. 2017 2017 marks both the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution and the 175th anniversary of the founding of Fabergé in 1842. With perfect timing, Fabergé’s rebirth is further recognised when Aurélie Picaud, Fabergé global timepieces director, wins Woman of the Year and Eve’s Watch Awards for her success in developing and launching timepiece collections in partnership with leading Swiss workmaster, and winning two Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève Awards in just three years. The Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Texas, hosts one of the world’s largest private collections of Fabergé creations so the city proves the ideal place for Fabergé’s next international boutique. The museum’s collection includes the Nobel Ice Egg, the Kelch Rocaille Egg, a tiara, picture frames, decorative boxes, and delicate jewellery. The boutique is decorated in rose gold, with Fabergé’s trademark guilloché translated into the delicate interlaced chandelier glass. Located in the jewellery corridor in Houston’s elegant Galleria, just a few doors down from Saks Fifth Avenue, the boutique hosts one-of-a-kind creations, contemporary fine jewellery and innovative timepieces. Fabergé and Rolls-Royce collaborate on an extraordinary one-off commission: The Spirit of Ecstasy Egg. 2018 For the first time in either company’s history, Fabergé and Rolls-Royce collaborate on an extraordinary one-off commission: The Spirit of Ecstasy Egg. The Imperial-style Egg – only the second Imperial Class egg to be commissioned since 1917 - conceals a hand-sculpted statue of the legendary Rolls-Royce mascot nestling inside, revealed with a simple discreet click. In November, Fabergé launches its latest store in Dubai Fashion Avenue at the Dubai Mall, surrounded by haute couture and international designer brands. The launch party sees an exhibition of rare pieces unveiled for an audience of select clients, media and royalty. 2019 Fabergé’s spring advertising campaign, shot during brief pauses in bidding by expert gem photographer Casey Moore at Gemfields’ ruby auction in Singapore, features Fabergé timepieces, lockets and rings alongside Gemfields’ uncut gemstones – showcasing the beauty of these gemstones in their natural state. Rubies from Gemfields’ Montepuez Ruby Mine in Mozambique and emeralds from Gemfields’ Kagem Mine in Zambia are responsibly mined – with proceeds from auctions helping build schools, mobile health clinics and projects to establish improved livelihoods for thousands of families. Fabergé’s global expansion focuses on Europe, with points of sale opening up in Venice, home of the Murano glass workshops that inspired Peter Carl Fabergé’s crimson purpurine glass, as well as prestigious locations in Porto Cervo and St Tropez. Gemfields, the world’s largest responsibly sourced gemstone supplier and Fabergé’s owner, takes part in Knight Frank’s Luxury Investment Index, exploring the increasing value of coloured gemstones currently outperforming the wider jewellery market in 2019. The Index concludes that record-breaking auctions of emerald and sapphire jewellery alongside a threefold rise in ruby prices is fuelling coloured gemstones increasing popularity with investors and collectors. With the move to new, spacious offices in London Victoria, Fabergé opens a new By Appointment Salon where customers can meet the company’s top designers and work with them to personalise their own bespoke Fabergé jewellery. SHARE THIS PAGE Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Mail Cookie consent We use cookies on this site to personalise your experience and analyse our traffic. Click “I accept” to consent, or click “Manage Preferences” to adjust your settings. You can revisit your consent choices at any time by returning to this site.Read More on Cookie Policy. Manage PreferencesI accept