Daria Khristova nee Chernenko
Department Director
Lot 109*
A silver table lighter in the form of an elephantFabergé, Moscow, 1895, with later Soviet marks and French import mark
7 June 2017, 15:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£25,000 - £35,000
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A silver table lighter in the form of an elephant
Fabergé, Moscow, 1895, with later Soviet marks and French import mark
realistically cast as a seated elephant, with finely chased details imitating the texture of wrinkled skin, the hinged head opens to reveal the lighter fluid compartment with screw top with the outlet for the taper, 88 standard, approximate weight 347.4 gr
height: 8.3cm (3 1/4in).
realistically cast as a seated elephant, with finely chased details imitating the texture of wrinkled skin, the hinged head opens to reveal the lighter fluid compartment with screw top with the outlet for the taper, 88 standard, approximate weight 347.4 gr
height: 8.3cm (3 1/4in).
Footnotes
This charming example of a novelty lighter exemplify Fabergé's ability to transform a functional item into sculptural works of art. Containers and table lighters realistically modeled as whimsical animals were originally introduced by a brilliant artisan Julius Rappoport, and later were produced at the First Moscow Artel based on the Fabergé's firm original designs. Familiar domestic animals as well as more exotic types began populating cabinets and living room of the fashionable clientele of the firm.
Realistically modeled and finely chased, these novelty items were 'conversation pieces' and product novelties successfully marketed by the firm. Both functional and decorative, these silver sculptures remain among the most desirable examples of silver objects produced by the legendary firm.
For similar examples see:
monkey-shaped lighter (collection of A La Vieille Russie, New York; illustrated in Fabergé in America, 1996, number 218, page 221
rabbit-shaped pitcher in the collection of Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, illustrated in Fabergé in America, 1996, number 100, page 128
baboon-shaped lighter in the collection of the Kremlin Armoury, Moscow, illustrated in Géza von Habsburg, Marina Lopato, Fabergé: Imperial Jeweler, 1994, number 210, page 329.