A Russian Silver-Mounted Sandstone Pig-Form Match Holder and Strike Fabergé, Workmaster 1st Artel, St. Petersburg, 1908 - circa 1913 3-5/8 x 3 x 6-1/4 inches (9.2 x 7.6 x 15.9 cm) PROVENANCE: Sotheby's London, Russian Works of Art, June 12, 2008, lot 653; Acquired from the above by the present owner. A very similar example was part of the Forbes Magazine Collection and is illustrated, G. von Habsburg-Lothringen and A. von Solodkoff, Fabergé: Court Jeweller to the Tsars, London, 1979, p. 43, and G. von Habsburg, Fabergé: Imperial Craftsman and His World, London, 2000, p.118. At the time of his retirement in 1908, Fabergé Workmaster Julius Rappaport decided to reward his long-time employees by leaving his workshop, tools, and molds to them as a collective. In turn, they formed the ‘First Silver Artel' signing their works "1CA". The Fabergé firm supported this endeavor, and ordered works in silver for several years, until internal issues forced the Artel to disband in 1912-1913. (cf. M.M. Postnikova - Loseva, N.G.P. Platonova, BL. Ul'yanova, Zolotoe I serebryanoe delo XV-XX vv. Moscow, 1995, 2003.) Masterpieces of Russian Enamel from an Important American Collection HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved