While the House of Fabergé is best known for creating the lavishly ornate and intricately devised Imperial Easter eggs given by the last czars to their families as annual holiday gifts, it was the most prestigious Russian luxury goods maker of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Serving the aristocracy and the well-to-do through stores in St. Petersburg, Moscow and as far afield as London, Fabergé crafted a wide range of brooches and other jewelry, clock cases, silver and myriad objets de vertu that included picture frames, cigarette cases, cufflinks and carved hardstone floral and animal figurines. Following the revolution, the firm was closed by the Soviet state in 1918.
Master goldsmith Gustav Fabergé, a descendant of Huguenot emigrées, founded the company in St. Petersburg in 1842. The firm did a brisk trade among the lesser nobility and the merchant class, but it flourished under the guidance of Gustav’s eldest son Peter Carl Fabergé — known also as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé — who took over in 1872.
Cosmopolitan, widely-traveled and himself a master goldsmith — he was sent on a Grand Tour in the 1860s — the younger Fabergé drew early design inspiration when he volunteered to catalogue and restore pieces in the imperial jewelry collection in the Hermitage.
Fabergé pieces based on historical jewelry from the Hermitage caught the attention of Czar Alexander III at a Moscow exhibition in 1882, and three years later he commissioned the first Imperial Easter egg as a gift for the czarina. Czar Nicholas II continued the tradition, presenting two eggs each Easter — one for his wife and one for his mother.
Relatively simple in design compared to the complex cloisonné-adorned eggs that followed, the first Fabergé egg was a white-enameled ovoid containing a gold “yolk” that held a gold hen, which in turn contained a replica of the imperial crown from which hung an egg-shaped ruby pendant.
As the appointed goldsmith to the royal court, the House of Fabergé became the darling of Russian aristocrats as well as wealthy patrons across Europe. Many and varied objets — hundreds of thousands by one count — were made to meet their demand. The firm employed some 500 craftsmen and designers when it was shuttered.
After the Russian Revolution, the Fabergé name and trademark endured a checkered passage through the 20th century.
Family members left their homeland in 1918 and set up a new business in Paris that was mainly concerned with repairing and restoring earlier-made wares. The name was adopted by an American fragrance and beauty products maker in the late 1930s, and later authorized by the family in a 1951 agreement. The trademark has been subsequently sold several times, and attached to numerous products including jewelry.
Fabergé pieces are richly redolent of a romantic past, and a source of thorough delight — for connoisseurs, true Fabergé refers to items made in the firm’s brief, golden decades from 1885 to 1917.
Collectors are advised to make a study of Fabergé works in museum collections such as the Victoria & Albert and the Royal Collection in London to gain an understanding of the quality of genuine goods made by the original firm, and then to purchase only from reputable and reliable dealers, such those at 1stDibs.
Find Fabergé eggs for sale and other objects and vintage jewelry on 1stDibs.
1810 International Sterling Silver Flatware Set 72 Pc
By International Silver
Located in Rio Vista, CA
An expansive 72 piece heavy set of faithfully reproduced coin silver pattern from the original Colonial die owned by International Silver. The American sterling silver flatware produ...
Sterling Silver, Stainless Steel
$39,529 / set
H 12 in W 18 in D 18 in
French 950 Sterling Silver Flatware Set Service 175 Pieces in Large Fitted Chest
Located in Big Bend, WI
Outstanding monumental French 950 silver dinner size high quality Louis XV style Flatware set - 175 pieces. This set includes: 12 Dinner Size Knives, pointed, 9 7/8" 12 Large Dinner Size Forks, 8 1/4" 12 Luncheon Knives, pointed, 8 1/4" 12 Luncheon Forks, 7" 12 Teaspoons, 5" 11 Place Soup Spoons, 7 1/8" 12 Demitasse Spoons, 4 3/8" 12 Fish Forks, 3-tine, 7 1/8" 11 Fish Knives, flat handle all-sterling, 8 1/4" 11 Dinner Spoons, 8 1/4" 11 Pastry Forks, 3-tine, 5 5/8" 11 Ice Cream Spoons, gold-washed, 5 1/4" 12 Oyster Forks, 5 1/8" 1 Large Vegetable Spoon, 10" 1 Berry Spoon, 8 1/4" 1 Fish Serving Fork, 3-tine, 9 1/2" 1 Fish Servers, flat handle all-sterling, 10 3/4" 1 Oyster Ladle, 9 1/2" 1 Gravy Ladle, 6 7/8" 1 Large Cold Meat Fork, 10" 1 Flat Handle Master Butter, 6 5/8" 1 Hollow Handle Master Butter, all-sterling, 8" 1 Salad Set, gold-washed, all-sterling, 9 1/2" 1 Pie Server, flat handle all-sterling, 10 1/2" 1 Soup Ladle, 12" 1 Roast Carving Set, 2-pc, 12 1/2" 1 Lamb Shank holder w/stainless implement, 8 1/2" 1 Sugar Tong, 5 1/4" 1 Cheese Knife w/stainless blade, 8" 1 Sugar Sifter Ladle, gold-washed, 6 1/2" 1 Tea Caddy Spoon, 5 5/8" 1 Sardine Fork, 5 3/4" 1 Petit Four Server...
Sterling Silver
$69,500
H 1 in W 1 in D 1 in
San Lorenzo, Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Flatware Set 340 Pcs in Fitted Chest
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Big Bend, WI
San Lorenzo was introduced by Tiffany & Co. in the year 1916. Named for Florence's Church of San Lorenzo, its shield and paneling are typical of Renaissance Revival design. This noble pattern goes well with Victorian, Edwardian or neoclassical styles. Outstanding San Lorenzo by Tiffany & Co. sterling silver flatware set in vintage fitted Tiffany chest...
Sterling Silver
$9,850
H 18 in W 24 in D 24 in
A Fine Early 20th Century 152 Piece Austrian Flatware Set by Berndorf Alpacca
By Berndorfer Metallwarenfabrik
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Fine Early 20th Century 152 Piece Austrian Dinnerware Flatware Set by Berndorfer Metallwaaren-Fabrik, stamped 'Berndorf Alpacca', The Neoclassical Revival style set of Alpacca flatware comprising of: 12 Fish knives 12 Salad forks 12 Salad knives 12 Pasta spoons 12 Dessert spoons 12 Coffee spoons 12 Tea spoons 12 Ice-cream spoons 1 Ice thong 1 Soup ladle 1 Serving spoon 1 Salad spoon 1 Sauce/Gravy ladle 1 Meat carving knife 1 Meat carving fork 1 Salad fork All inside its original lined wooden storage-traveling cabinet. (See all images). Circa: Vienna, 1900-1930. The Alpacca alloy was developed in 1823 by the German chemist Dr. Ernst August Geitner (1783-1852). It was very similar in its appearance to silver, therefore, this new alloy was first called "Argentan". It consisted of 20% nickel, 55% copper and 25% zinc. The new silver-imitating alloy soon became very popular. The Gebrueder Henninger (Henninger Bros.) proposed a similar alloy (5-30% nickel, 45-70% copper and 8-45% zinc with trace amounts of lead, tin and iron) which they called "Neusilber". Later both Argentan and Neusilber were used under the trade name of Alpacca (or Alpakka). The great advantage of the use of Alpacca alloy as the base metal for silver plating is that the appearance of the objects does not change significantly with the wearing away of the silver layer and, unlike sterling silver, it does not require frequent polishing or cleaning due to tarnishing. The earliest known Berndorf Alpacca mark (No.1) was introduced around 1880 and used until 1891. I found it on the bottom of a 30 cl teapot bearing the inscription KRIEAU, which corresponds to the "Wiener Krieau", the famous race course in Vienna. The mark No.1 represents an oval of 3.0 x 3.6 mm size bearing the lettering "BMF ALPACCA" (which means Berndorfer Metallwaaren Fabrik or Berndorf Metalware Factory) with the "M" and "F" letters being fused. Inside the oval there is a profile of a walking bear looking down. This mark is quite rare. BIBLIOGRAPHY - Ingrid Haslinger, Tafelkultur Marke Berndorf, Das Niederoesterreichische Erfolgsunternehmen Arthur Krupps (Ketterl Verlag, Wien, 1998), pp.1-174, (in German). - Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk and Claudia Kanowski, Modern Art of Metallwork (Berlin: Broehan Museum, 2001), 1-598. - Musterbuch ueber Tafelgeraete in Alpacca-Silber I, Alpacca-Silber II und Alpacca, Unversilbert (Berndorfer Haus, Berlin, 1928), pp.1-53, (in German). - Waltraud Neuwirth, Bluehender Jugendstil Oesterreich, Band 2: Firmen und Marken [Art Nouveau in Blossom - Austria, Vol. 2: Companies and Marks]. Vienna: Selbstverlag Dr. Waltraud Neuwirth, 1991, 1-288 (in German). - David N. Nikogosyan, 2008, Marks of Silverplated Hollowware...
Alpaca, Wood
$4,800
H 46.46 in W 26.78 in D 22.84 in
French Silver Plated Flatware Set for 12 People with Original Case
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
This elegant French flatware set is designed for twelve people and comes complete with its original two-piece presentation case. The interior of the case is upholstered in refined bl...
Metal, Silver Plate
$185,000 / set
H 12 in W 12 in D 10 in
A 200 Plus Set of 19 Century Imperial Russian Silver Flatware by Andrei Bragin
By Andrei Bragin
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An exceptional and extremely rare set of a combination of silver and vermeil (gilded silver) flatware designed and crafted in St Petersburg Russia by Andrei Stepanovich Bragin d...
Silver, Vermeil
$29,500 / set
H 1 in W 1 in D 1 in
Wedgwood by International Sterling Silver Flatware Set 24 Service 258 Pieces
By International Silver
Located in Big Bend, WI
The beauty of classic tradition is captured in International's Grecian motif Wedgwood pattern. The delicate scrolled relief border gracefully encloses a detailed Grecian urn with int...
Sterling Silver
$18,450 / set
H 12 in W 18 in D 18 in
Saratoga by Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Flatware Set for 12 Service 91 pieces
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Big Bend, WI
Saratoga by Tiffany - Sterling Issue Date: 1870 Formerly this pattern was called King and then Cook, renamed Saratoga in 1956. Designer: Edward C. Moore. Fabulous Saratoga by Tiffan...
Sterling Silver
$4,866 / set
H 0.1 in W 0.1 in D 0.1 in
Wedgwood by International Sterling Silver Flatware Service Set 40 Pieces
By International Silver
Located in Big Bend, WI
Beautiful, heirloom quality Wedgwood by International sterling silver flatware set - 40 pieces. This set includes: Eight knives, 8 3/4". Eight forks, 7 1/4". Eight salad forks, 6 1/...
Sterling Silver
$12,000 / set
H 9.85 in W 20.08 in D 14.57 in
Mappin & Webb Cutlery Set for 12 People. England, Early 20th Century
By Mappin & Webb
Located in Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Mappin & Webb silver plate cutlery set for 12 people, England, early 20th century. Complete for 12 people. A total of 130 pieces: 12 large kni...
Silver Plate
Fabergé Silver Flatware Service for 24
By Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Fabergé silver is regarded as the highest form of Continental silver in terms of artistry and opulence. This rare 197-piece parcel-gilt silver flatware service for 24 was produced by...
Silver
Fabergé Silver Flatware Service
By Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional 77-piece complete service by Fabergé is a rare treasure from the world-renowned firm. Enclosed in its original oak chest, the exquisite service remains complete and in pristine condition—a feat given the rarity of Fabergé silver from this era. Featuring specialty items for an elaborate fish service, this flatware set is a testament to the unparalleled elegance of Fabergé. This exemplary set epitomizes the height of Fabergé silver craftsmanship, with each piece and its original fitted chest meticulously hallmarked with the Fabergé seal...
Silver
Fabergé Silver Service
By Fabergé
Located in New Orleans, LA
This extraordinary 128-piece service by Fabergé is a rare treasure in more ways than one. Enclosed in its original oak chest, the exquisite service remains complete and in pristine condition—a feat given the rarity of Fabergé silver from this era. Featuring a full set of dinner and dessert flatware as well as 6 rare samovar teacups, this service is a testament to the unparalleled elegance of this world-famous firm. This exemplary set epitomizes the height of Fabergé silver craftsmanship, with each piece and its original fitted chest meticulously hallmarked with the Fabergé seal...
Silver
Tiffany & Co. Colonial Silver Flatware Service for 12
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in New Orleans, LA
Sterling Silver Flatware Service for 12 Tiffany & Co. This exquisite 180-piece sterling silver flatware service for 12 by Tiffany & Co. is crafted in the distinguished Colon...
Sterling Silver
Durgin Wentworth Flatware Service, 167 Pieces
By William B. Durgin
Located in New Orleans, LA
This rare 167-piece Wentworth sterling silver flatware service was crafted by the celebrated William B. Durgin Silver Company. Each piece bears an intricate, hand-chased pattern featuring florettes, acanthus leaves, scrolls, and an open cartouche surrounding a monogram. Originally retailed by Grogan Company, the leading retail jeweler in Pittsburgh at the turn of the century, this set of 12 is truly exceptional. The set comes complete in its original fitted, suede-lined case. American, circa 1902 Marked "STERLING" with script "D" mark for Durgin and retailer's mark "Grogan Company" Case: 6" high x 23 1/8" wide x 18 7/16" deep This service comprises: 12 dinner knives12 lunch knives12 butter spreaders12 dinner forks12 lunch forks12...
Sterling Silver
Gorham Sterling Silver Flatware Service, 764 Pieces
By Gorham
Located in New Orleans, LA
This monumental American sterling silver flatware service by Gorham epitomizes the stately glamour of turn-of-the-century dining. A to...
Sterling Silver
Emblems of heartfelt emotion, elegant vessels for photos and keepsakes and perfect for layering, these special ornaments are an essential component of any thoughtfully curated jewelry collection.
From vibrant to subtle, elegant to cheeky, enamel jewelry encompasses a wide range of colors and styles, and there are almost as many techniques for creating these distinctive pieces.
