February 9, 2004
Forbes Fabergé collection bought en bloc
Back home it all goes:
One of Russia's richest men, Victor Velkselberg, has bought the whole collection of Fabergé, including nine Imperial Easter eggs, which was due to be auctioned on 20 April. The amount of the deal was kept secret but is thought to be worth about $100 million. The collection, consigned by the Forbes family, was estimated at $90/120 million and was believed to be guaranteed for $70 million.From the Art Newspaper.
UPDATE: The Art Newspaper now has an article discussing where the collection might be displayed. Candidates include the Kremlin Museum and the old Fabergé building near the Hermitage. There is also talk of a traveling exhibition, within Russia.
Posted by David on February 9, 2004 10:23 AM
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What else can one say but "fabulous"?
So imaginatively conceived and opulently executed, Fabergé's work elevates jewelry to a decorative art unequaled since the Renaissance. At the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris, the Imperial eggs are shown in public for the first time. They astound the jury, which showers him with honors, and Fabergé's fame spreads throughout Europe. The novelty of combining artistic excellence with functional value – and a touch of whimsy – so captures the imagination of the aristocracy that the Fabergé workshops are flooded with commissions, transforming an ordinary goldsmith shop into the famous "House of Fabergé." But though aristocrats, barons of industry, kings and queens alike all cross his threshold seeking gifts, Fabergé's first duty is always to the Czar.
And yet, only eight years later, Fabergé, his royal patron, and a way of life are gone forever. Read more about the Fabergé eggs at:
PBS - Treasures of the World
Fabergé Eggs: Mementos of a Doomed Dynasty
Posted by: Peter Shriner on February 10, 2004 11:57 PM
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