A Royal Treasury of Fabergé

Caroline de Guitaut, Surveyor of The King's Works of Art at Royal Collection Trust This paper will explore the rich holdings of works by the Russian goldsmith and jeweller Carl Fabergé (1846-1920) in the British Royal Collection. Formed by six successive generations of the Royal Family, the collection represents the finest and most historically important assemblage of Fabergé in the world. The collection is remarkably diverse containing examples of every type of objet de vertu created by the Fabergé firm, from jewelled Imperial Easter Eggs, carved hardstone animals, gold and diamond snuffboxes to a vast array of decorative pieces incorporating the virtuoso techniques for which the firm was renowned. In preparation for a forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the collection, new research has shed light on the history and provenance of several important pieces which will be referenced in this presentation.