faberge

Born in St Petersburg, Peter Karl Faberge was apprenticed as a goldsmith before spending several years travelling throughout Europe learning his craft. In 1872, he returned to St Petersburg to run his father's business, where he also helped catalogue, appraise and repair the Hermitage's treasure-trove of precious objects. In 1882, he was joined by his younger brother, Agathon, also a jeweller. Inspired by the Hermitage collection, the brothers made a number of pieces which they featured at a fair in Moscow. One piece was purchased by Czar Alexander III, and Faberge was presented with a gold medal honouring him as "...having opened a new era in jewellery art". Soon after, Faberge started to supply not only the Russian Imperial Court, but most of the world's royalty and wealthiest families.

Although Faberge is best known for his jewelled Imperial Easter eggs, the workshop produced table silver, jewellery, objects d'art, and boxes, including card cases. These are characterised by gold or silver –gilt grounds decorated with guilloche enamel, seed pearl banding and thumb pieces using precious gems such as rubies and sapphires.

The House of Faberge was divided into several small workshops each with its own specialty. The workshop was headed by a workmaster who, whilst he owned his own workshop, contracted to work exclusively for Faberge, producing items from sketches and designs supplied to them. Two of the most well-known workmasters were Michael Perchin and Henrik Wigstrom. Perchin’s mark can be found on a number of card cases. Henrik Wigstrom is also known to have produced card cases.