Lot 10

Fabergé: A nephrite and ruby objet, circa 1900












Auction: The Collection of Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Dowager Countess of Airlie | Wednesday 22 October 2025 from 1pm
Description
Originally a carved nephrite cane handle, decorated with realistically formed four-leaf clovers, each inset with a circular cabochon ruby, to a later polished blade, Cyrillic signature for Fabergé, workmaster's marks for Michael Perchin, Russian assay marks, later converted to a paper knife, length 21.0cm
Provenance
From the Estate of Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, Dowager Countess of Airlie
Footnote
Michael Perchin (1860-1903), sometimes spelt “Mikhail Perkhim”, became Carl Fabergé's second workmaster at the age of just 26 in 1886.
During his time as workmaster he oversaw the creation of numerous Imperial Eggs created for Emperor Nicholas II. Notably in 1902, Perchin created the “Clover Egg” an Imperial Egg decorated with clover leaves made of plique-à-jour enamel, diamonds and gold. The design of those clover leaves mirror the applied clovers on this letter opener.
Following his untimely death in 1903, Perchin was succeeded by Henrick Wigström.











