Czarevitch George Alexandrovitch

[LisaDavidson]

The title tsarevich (also spelled czarevitch) actually just means "son of the tsar". So all of Alexander III's sons were "tsarevich". The title of heir to the throne is "tsesarevich" and I believe its litteral translation is "son of Caesar", but this is the title used for the heir.

[Forum Admin]

re the sapphire on handle. I don't mean to be pedantic, but, if you had just used the link I provided to the piece on Wartski website, you would read:

the bowl is made from corprolite - fossilized dinasour dung,
from the Greek kopros meaning dung and lithikos
meaning stone - mounted with a chased gold handle
set with two cabochon sapphires in the form
of a stylised toucan, sitting on a red gold base.

[Wartski]

Thank you for all the responses to our query and we are very happy for this or any of our other images to be shown on the site. It is a pleasure to share them. In answer to DOMOVOII the coprolite is from a herbivore, there are no animal remnants visible in the stone. The handle although deco in appearance is an archaeological revival inspired by the Scythian treasures unearthed on the black Sea Coast. I was also interested by DOMOVOII's comments on design books. In many ways they are more interesting than the objects themselves and much rarer. Only five are known to exist two from Wigström and the three we own from Holmström’s workshop. Once again many thanks.

[DOMOVOII]

Thank you, ...unfortunately many threads get bogged down in tit-for-tat arguments that lead nowhere, when I think we all can say we've learnt something new with this thread.

Anything we can help you with please let us know-- this is fun!

Often bandied about, is the statement that Faberge's pieces were often "one of's" (Be it down to colouration or material),  did Faberge do much else in Coprolite?

As for the handle it only goes to prove there is nothing new in design.

p.s   Kieran....gizza job!!

[Martyn]

Ok Rob point taken, should have used the link, very sorry, apologise profusely and kiss the hem of your train if I get the chance......
DOMOVOII, you just get right in that queue for that coveted job.  If I worked there I would feel like I had died and gone to Heaven.  Mind you , you're better qualified (guess I won't be getting the book then.....)

[DOMOVOII]

It'd have to be a pretty hefty staff discount to satisfy my craving...! I want...,!,!,!,!,!,!..!, three of !, and !. !

Having said that my present job (note to self: present job) in an Art/Craft store has put me right off Art and Craft....it'd be awful to become underwhelmed with Faberge.

[Martyn]

It'd have to be a pretty hefty staff discount to satisfy my craving...! I want...,!,!,!,!,!,!..!, three of !, and !. !

Having said that my present job (note to self: present job) in an Art/Craft store has put me right off Art and Craft....it'd be awful to become underwhelmed with Faberge.

Is that possible?  For you to be 'underwhelmed by Faberge', that is, knowing your passion for the aforementioned?  But you are right, perhaps better for me to have the position after all......

[Wartski]

This is the only recorded use of coprolite by Faberge. He did experiment with materials and employed other fossilised materials but not coprolite.

It is true Faberge never repeated a piece but the variations are sometimes so small as to be unrecognisable.

Best wishes,

     Kieran

[DOMOVOII]

Following on from the last remark; do we know how many different colours of enamel Faberge used? How many different patterns of guillochages were used to such beautiful effect on so many of his enamelled pieces? I'm just thinking with 80ish colours and thirty-odd (GUESS) options the possibilities open out a little...

Secondly, after looking at the charka again and again, I feel that the Toucan aspect is made most clear when the cup is inverted, (but you knew that) in this attitude, the bowl of the charka becomes the bill of the Toucan and the eye set on the mask, naked before the black feathers start, (I know... I'm sat beside one! (a Toucan, not a charka!))

[DOMOVOII]

Sorry...I've just found the information I was after....Faberge used an astonishing 144 different shades of enamel.   WOW!

So I suppose the chance of repetition, wasn't neccessarily such a problem.