fake/spurious "Faberge" and "Imperial" items

[Forum Admin]

In the late '20s and '30s, until about '38, the Soviets were starving for "hard" currency. Nobody would accept the Soviet ruble outside the USSR. The only way to pay for imports was in dollars, pounds, marks, francs, etc. SO, there were stores inside the USSR, pre-eminently "Antikvariat" where the Imperial and nobility treasures were sold to tourists. This is where, for example, Marjorie Merriweather Post purchased much of her fabulous material. Also, the Soviets were not shy about sending large lots to Europe for auction. We have several Christie's catalogues from the early 1930s of Imperial Items being sold. And, of course, there is the extensive work of Dr. Armand Hammer, now known to have been a front for the Soviets as a means of gaining hard currency. Much Imperial material was sent to Dr. Hammer in the 30s to be sold across the US at "Hammer Gallery" sales in department stores across the US.

To be blunt, in the 20s and early 30s, nobody really cared about Faberge. The eggs and extravagent objects de vertu were seen as quaint extravagent old-fashioned pieces, which were a glut on the market at the time.

[Alixz]

Would that I had lived then and been prescient enough to buy up a lot.

Imagine having such a collection and (in the capitalist way) now be able to auction off some and have a pleasant income.   

The only piece I ever truly wanted was something from the flowers in vases collection.  I love the Lilly of the Valley, the Spray of Cornflowers, and the Spray of Buttercups.

Sigh...

[grandduchessella]

EBay dealt blow on fake Rolexes by German court

"EBay Inc disclosed on Friday that Germany's top court ruled several months ago that the world's largest online auctioneer must do more to halt the sale of counterfeit goods on its site."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN2736988920070727

[Robert_Hall]

I have no problem with fakes being sold- as long as they are labled as that- fakes, reproductions, copies, whatever. 2 Years ago, whilst in China, we were shown some really beautiful  "Faberge" pieces. Mostly the little animals and figures, as I recall. I was not interested and my partner does not sell  such things in his antique business so we left sans goods. If I ever get back there, however, I may have second thoughts as they would make lovely cabinet pieces and at a fraction of the price of the real thing.

[Vecchiolarry]

Dear Constantinople,

No thief should ever be called a "houseguest" even in polite society.  You are too kind!!

Whoever stole those pieces should have been 'outed' and charged as they were no friends to your family.
I felt so badly when I read that;  I just wanted to slap whoever dared to pilfer those items...

Larry

[Romenta]

 

Can anyone tell me the year of death of Fedor Afanassiev, the Faberge master workman?  I need it to possibly purchase a miniature egg from an old Russian man who is selling off his collection, one by one.  I want to verify the dating of the egg.  Thank you. 

[Mari]

Thank you for all the wonderful information.  I really enjoyed looking at the nine eggs by Faberge.

[slaudio]

Regarding Fedor Afanassiev:  I'm quoting from a book by Geza von Habsburg: "Very little is known about Afanssiev but for the fact that his hallmark is to be found on small objects of high quality, including miniature Easter eggs, small picture frames and objets d'art made of gold silver and enamel".

I have seen numerous pieces by Afanassiev and they are very, very good.  It's a bit of mystery in the Fabergé world, as so little information is available.  But always be careful with the miniature eggs....they  are very hard to authenticate, and very commonly counterfeited.

[Annie]

You mean there are fake eggs just like there were fake Romanov claiamants? How sad how many people try to take advantage of them for money.

[grandduchessella]

This allegedy belonged to Grand Duchess Elizabeth--what do any of our experts think?

"This is Imperial Russian solid silver,gold&sapphires purse ,decorated with hand painted guilloche enamel . Made by Faberge's workshop. It is decorated with the solid gold cipher for Nicholas II in the middle,also with 7carat sapphires precious stones( of 1 carat eatch,mounted in a solid gold frame!!! ) Excellent condition,with original patina. Signed with the Faberge's hal mark"K.ФАБЕРЖЕ" in russian,and with 84 silver mark.This treasure has been awarded to Grand Duchess Elizabeth Fyodorovna by Nicholas II."

[Forum Admin]

Courtney,

NOT A CHANCE. Its a horrible fake.  A perfectly ok, middle class silver purse, tarted up badly.  That ebay seller is the same one who sells NOTHING but fakes.  I wish ebay would do something but they won't.

I mean, look at how crude the cypher is...the rest of the workmanship is only ok, not great. Faberge would have slit his wrists before selling anything like it.

[Robert_Hall]

I was just going to say the same thing- the crown and cypher are very sloppy for Faberhe. Even given the age and wear, the mesh is also second-rate and the frame enamel is NOT  Faberge quality.

[dmitri]

I guess such "Faberge" fakes must be as true to the real Faberge as the piece of the "true cross" are as real as the cross on which Jesus was crucified! What a bad joke they are.

[Mari]

Is this on EBAY I would like to see what price they are selling these fakes for?    I guess they added the sapphires and other stones.

 Actually there is a way to report Internet Fraud and this Dealer on the Web and the F.B.I. checks it out for an American. In other Countries Buyers that spend a large sum of money should check out their Sources   .www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/internetschemes.htm  Auction Fraud is definitely listed.

[grandduchessella]

Thanks, FA. I had a feeling it wasn't real but I'm completely clueless in these matters. I thought it was a different seller from the one who sells the cigarette cases, etc (with the photo of who it 'belonged' to next to them) but when I checked through the whole listings, yes it's the same one--others have the photo.

Yes, it's on ebay and it's for several thousand dollars. He (or she) has many 'Faberge' and other such items listed currently:

DIAMONDS DIPPING PEN FROM TSAR'S DESK.RUSSIAN, FABERGE IT WAS ON TSAR'S DESK IN CATHERINE PALACE.+CERTIFICATE! ($4500)

"This is absolutely one of a kind,world-ultra rare,a real museum exponent object of art with high historical value!!! This is vermeil silver&obsidian precious stone dipping pen,decorated with 0.7 carat diamonds,made by Faberge's head workmaster Victor Aarne. The dipping pen is in mint condition,comes with its original presentation box,signed inside in russian"Faberge,St Petersburg,Moscow,Odessa,Kiev,London",and decorated with the cipher of the Tsar. The pen is signed with the Faberge's hall mark "Kф",with the Victor Aarne hall mark"ВA" in russian,and with 84 silver mark. It has a removable steel nib,which fit on the holder. The obsidian precious stone has amazing laight brown colour,and is in mint condition too. The nib holder section is decorated with the Tsar's cipher,with red enamel,surounded with diamonds. All diamonds are with the finest E colour,and VS1 clarity,old european cut.  This treasure has been ordered by hes majesty Nicholas II to Faberge's workshop in St Petersburg,and it has been in use on the Tsar's desk in the Cathrine Palace in Tsarskoe selo.(you can see the original photo of the Tsar's desk above,and you also can see this very dipping pen with few more ,staing in a pen-holder goblet.) The dipping pen was "nationalized" by the Red army in 1917 together with all Imperial property. 80 years after that it apeared on antiques auction in Paris.  IT COMES WITH A CERTIFICATE,SO BUY WITH CONFIDENCE!"




ONE OF A KIND RUSSIAN FABERGE CRYSTAL,GOLD&RUBYS EGG ($9,999.99 )
"This is absolutely  ONE OF A KIND WORLDWIDE and incomparable in beauty AUTHENTIC Faberge's miniature Easter Egg-a real museum exponent! It has been ordered to Faberge by hes majesty Nicholas II,as a special Easter gift for hes dauther Anastasia,during the Easter celebrations in 1909 in Moscow.This egg has been found in the Winter Palace in 1917 by an communist officer when the palace was ransaced by the Red Army.80 years later it has been offered in auction in Paris... This treasure is made of solid 14k gold,and genuine hand polished mountain crystal!!! This was one of the Faberge's favourit combination between 2 noble materials.As every Faberge egg,this one also has a surprise inside-when you open the egg ,you will find a small silver hen .When you remove the brid,you will find its small genuine  ruby cabochon egg!!! On the top of the egg you will see the Romanov family coat of arms-the crowned double headed eagle,also made of pure gold!!! The egg is hall marked with the Faberge's hall mark in cyrillic "K.ФАБЕРЖЕ",and with the 56 kokoshnik gold mark.On the botom of the egg ,you can see the year-1909,when the egg has been awarded by the Tsar to hes dauther..."



Also:

"This is absolutely one of a kind,world-ultra rare,a real museum exponent object of art with high historical value!!! This is an unique Imperial Russian hand painted porcelain Easter egg,made by the famous "IMPERIAL PORCELAIN MANUFACTORY" in 1900. The egg is finely painted with an image of Saint Nicholas the Miracle-maker,tooled gilt borger on a gold ground.On the back side is painted an image of 2 angels,and writen in russian"Христос Воскресе". The image of Saint Nicholas is the most rare ,and most wanted between collectors,because only 20 pieces has been ever made by the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory",specialy for the Imperial court.(you can see on the photo below a similar porcelain easter egg with the image of St Alexander Nevsky,sold in Sotheby's auction on 14th June 2007 for 7500Euro-about $10.000!!!).  It is so expencive,because the image is a real painting,painted by master.(moust porcelain eggs was produced with printed images that time. Only those,produced for the Imperial court was all hand painted!!! So they are extremely collectible and valuble nowadays. The egg is in absolutely mint condition and it comes with its oriiginal ribbon. This treasure is really incomparable in beauty,and it is indeed the most beautiful porcelain egg, that I have ever seen alive! This unique masterpiece has a really amazing story- it has been awarded to Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna by hes majesty Nicholas II." "

The thing is, this seller has almost 100% positive feedback (and the negative I saw didn't have to do with the item itself but rather not receiving it). Very sad. Anyone who wants to see some of the other items can go take a look--he has 250 listed and many of them are like those above.