Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is  More »

Of all of the creations of the House of Fabergé none possesses the mystique attached to the Imperial Easter Eggs. Their centrality to Fabergé’s entire oeuvre is so dominant that one immediately thinks of these eggs first whenever the name of Fabergé is mentioned. In order to place these eggs in context, it is worth recalling that the egg was anciently imbued with overtones of resurrection, later a suitable symbol for Christian Easter. The practice of distributing eggs as reminder’s of Christ’s resurrection began in the Middle Ages, and developed in Russia where the traditional gift of an egg at Easter was accompanied by the recipient receiving three kisses. In Russia, such Easter eggs may be lavishly decorated, as examples of pysanky, the art of beautifully dyed Ukrainian Easter eggs, reveal. The practice of presenting actual Easter eggs, therefore, was an established tradition in Russia, but Fabergé perfected the concept of creating bejeweled Easter eggs for the Russian Imperial family when he created the very first for Tsar Alexander III to present to his wife, the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, as a gift on Easter 1885. The House of Fabergé created an entire line of Easter eggs for clients and patrons other than the Russian Imperial family. This particular example is a reflection of those creations, and represents a variation of the theme of the Easter egg in the form of an egg-shaped goblet framed by a foot and neck which are symmetrically designed as mirror-images of one another. In keeping with Fabergé’s love of flowers, predicated on the observation that flowers were a constant reminder of the long White Nights of the summers in St. Petersburg where winters are accompanied by extremely short days and bitter cold nights, floral forms dominate this creation and evoke an enchanted, fairy-tale forest. Dr. Robert Steven Bianchi References: Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Exhibition Album (St. Petersburg 2000), pages 18-21, passim, for a succinct discussion about and his Imperial Easter eggs. For examples of Fabergé’s use of the egg motif incorporated into the design of other deluxe objects, see Geza Von Habsburg, Alexander von Solodkoff, and Robert Steven Bianchi, Fabergé. Imperial Craftsman and his World (London 2000), page 164, catalogue number 316 (the handle for a walking stick); page 189, catalogue numbers 398 and 403 (scent-flasks); page 181, catalogue number 405 (a bonbonnière); passim. - (SP.588)   « Less

Marble Bust of Dante - X.0526Origin: Europe Circa: 18 th Century AD to 19 th Century ADDimensions: 8.75" (22.2cm) high x 11" (27.9cm) wide x 6" (15.2cm) depth Collection:  More »

Marble Bust of Dante - X.0526Origin: Europe Circa: 18 th Century AD to 19 th Century ADDimensions: 8.75" (22.2cm) high x 11" (27.9cm) wide x 6" (15.2cm) depth Collection: Decorative Medium: Marble Condition: Extra Fine   « Less

Classical Revival Marble Head of a Goddess - SP.025Origin: Europe Circa: 1750 AD to 1900 ADCollection: Classical Revival Medium: Marble

Classical Revival Marble Head of a Goddess - SP.025Origin: Europe Circa: 1750 AD to 1900 ADCollection: Classical Revival Medium: Marble   « Less

Neoclassical Marble Arm SP.606Origin:Europe Circa:19th Century ADDimensions:4.25(10.8cm)high Collection:Decorative Style: Neoclassical Medium: Marble

Neoclassical Marble Arm SP.606Origin:Europe Circa:19th Century ADDimensions:4.25(10.8cm)high Collection:Decorative Style: Neoclassical Medium: Marble   « Less

Rhodonite is a member of the pyroxene group of minerals, consisting of manganese inosilicate, (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)Si O3, and crystallizing in the triclinic system. It commonly  More »

Rhodonite is a member of the pyroxene group of minerals, consisting of manganese inosilicate, (Mn,Fe,Mg,Ca)Si O3, and crystallizing in the triclinic system. It commonly occurs as cleavable to compact masses with a rose-red color, often tending to brown because of surface oxidation. Rhodonite crystals often have a thick tabular habit, but are rare. It has a perfect, prismatic cleavage, almost at right angles. The hardness is 5.5 - 6.5, and the specific gravity 3.4 - 3.7; luster is vitreous, being less frequently pearly on cleavage surfaces. The manganese is often partly replaced by iron, magnesium, calcium, and sometimes zinc which may sometimes be present in considerable amounts; a greyish- brown variety containing as much as 20% of calcium oxide is called bustamite; fowlerite is a zinciferous variety containing 7% of zinc oxide. Rhodonite is a mineral liable to alteration, with the formation of manganese carbonate (rhodochrosite), hydrous silicates or oxides. The compact material, which is cut and polished for ornamental purposes, is often marked in a striking manner by veins and patches of these black alteration products. At Syedelnikova, near Ekaterinburg in the Urals, compact material of a good color occurs in a clay-slate and is extensively quarried: boulders of similar material found at Cummington, in Massachusetts ( cummingtonite ) have also been worked as an ornamental stone. In the iron and manganese mines at Pajsberg near Filipstadt and Langban in Vermland, Sweden, small brilliant and translucent crystals (pajsbergite) and cleavage masses occur. Fowlerite occurs as large, rough crystals, somewhat resembling pink feldspar, with franklinite and zinc ores in granular limestone at Franklin Furnace in New Jersey. The inosilicate (chain silicate) structure of rhodonite has a repeat unit of five silica tetrahedra. The rare polymorph pyroxmangite, formed at different conditions of pressure and temperature, has the same chemical composition but a repeat unit of seven tetrahedra. - (SP.617)   « Less

Period American Sheraton gold leaf wall mirror c1820. Measures 40.5 inches tall by 21 inches wide at the top and bottom, 20.5 inches wide at the center. Excellent original  More »

Period American Sheraton gold leaf wall mirror c1820. Measures 40.5 inches tall by 21 inches wide at the top and bottom, 20.5 inches wide at the center. Excellent original condition.   « Less

Bronze Copy of The Charioteer - PF.1503AOrigin: Greece Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions:18(45.7cm)high Collection: Decorative arts Style: Old Museum Copy Medium: Bronze

Bronze Copy of The Charioteer - PF.1503AOrigin: Greece Circa: 20 th Century ADDimensions:18(45.7cm)high Collection: Decorative arts Style: Old Museum Copy Medium: Bronze   « Less

Heavy solid bronze embossed door stop c1880. Measures six inches high six and one half inches wide and two inches deep. Excellent casting detail.

Heavy solid bronze embossed door stop c1880. Measures six inches high six and one half inches wide and two inches deep. Excellent casting detail.   « Less

Pair of 18th c. Dutch brass triple arm candlesticks.Each candelabra measures 16 inches high and 14 inches across with a 5 inch base. This pair of 18th century brass  More »

Pair of 18th c. Dutch brass triple arm candlesticks.Each candelabra measures 16 inches high and 14 inches across with a 5 inch base. This pair of 18th century brass candlesticks were purchased in Holland over thirty years ago.   « Less

James Dixon and Sons. silver plated butler's tray manufactured for Tiffany & Co. NY. c1869. Hallmarked on reverse. Stamped Made for Tiffany and CO New York. James Dixon &  More »

James Dixon and Sons. silver plated butler's tray manufactured for Tiffany & Co. NY. c1869. Hallmarked on reverse. Stamped Made for Tiffany and CO New York. James Dixon & Sons Sheffield. 22 July 1869. Original condition. Measures 24.5 inches from end of handle to end of handle and 15.5 inches wide.This piece is on display in our gallery at Old Saybrook Antiques Center and can be seen in-person by visiting 756 Middlesex Tpke Old Saybrook, CT 06475. For hours of operation visit: http://www.OldSaybrookAntiques.com   « Less