Fabergé
The history of Fabergé (in Russian: Фаберже) traces its roots back to France in 1685 when the family fled persecution against Huguenots following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They relocated to Pernau in the Baltic province of Livonia, now part of Estonia. Over time, the family name evolved from Favri to Fabrier and ultimately to Fabergé.
Gustav Fabergé, born in 1814, moved to St. Petersburg, where he apprenticed under Andreas Spiegel, a goldsmith renowned for his exquisite gold boxes. In the late 1820s, he worked for Keibel, the goldsmith to the Imperial family. In 1842, Gustav established his own shop on Bolshaya Morskaya, a prestigious street in St. Petersburg.
His son, Peter Carl Fabergé, was born in 1846. After initial studies, he traveled across Europe, learning from prominent goldsmiths and studying techniques in various museums and collections. He returned to St. Petersburg in 1870 to take over the family business after his father's retirement. In 1882, his younger brother Agathon joined the firm, and the following year, Peter Carl received a royal warrant from Emperor Alexander III.
In 1886, Michael Perkhin was appointed head workmaster, ushering in the most creative period for Fabergé. Under Perkhin's guidance, iconic themes emerged, including the famous Imperial eggs, intricate animals, floral arrangements, and objects of vertu crafted from hard stones and precious metals.
The legendary tradition of creating Imperial Easter Eggs began in 1885 when Czar Alexander III commissioned Fabergé to design an egg for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. This annual tradition continued until the Russian Revolution in 1917, resulting in a total of 50 Imperial eggs, each showcasing unparalleled artistry.
As Fabergé's reputation grew, so did its business. New branches were established in Moscow (1887), Odessa (1890), and Kiev (1905). In 1900, Peter Carl Fabergé gained significant acclaim at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, where he was honored with the title of 'Master' and appointed a Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Following Agathon's death in 1895 and Perkhin's passing in 1903, Henrik Wigstrom succeeded Perkhin as head workmaster, continuing the firm’s legacy of exquisite craftsmanship. In 1906, Fabergé opened a retail shop in London’s Mayfair, at 48 Dover Street, further expanding its reach.
The Russian Revolution in 1917 compelled Peter Carl Fabergé to flee Russia with his family. The company was nationalised, and Peter Carl died in Switzerland in 1920. Two of his four sons, Alexander and Eugéne, settled in Paris, where they founded Fabergé & Cie in 1924. This company produced and retailed artworks in the Fabergé style, marked as ‘Fabergé, Paris’ to differentiate them from the original creations made in Russia before the Revolution.
Today, Fabergé remains synonymous with opulence and exceptional quality. The meticulous combination of precious materials and supreme craftsmanship is evident in both non-utilitarian items, such as eggs, miniature animals, and flowers, as well as practical utility objects. Many of the iconic Easter Eggs and decorative pieces created between 1885 and 1917 are now housed in prestigious international museums, coveted by collectors and sought after at auctions, serving as enduring symbols of luxury and artistry.