A gold, gem-set and enamelled Imperial presentation box
the gold surface of matt finish to the exterior and polished to the interior, of rectangular form with canted corner,
the hinged lid enamelled translucent pink over a moiré sunburst guillochage emanating from an oval reserve framed with brilliant cut diamonds, flanked by diamond-set fleur de lys and surmounted by an Imperial Russian crown,
the reserve decorated with a panel of translucent oyster enamel over a sunburst ground beneath the chased gold cypher of Emperor Nicholas II,
the lid further mounted with elaborate trails of green gold laurels with red gold florets at the intersections, flanked by further trails of green gold laurels with red gold ties, each corner set with a flower head centred with a brilliant-cut diamond surrounded by delicately chased gold petals.
Stamped with the maker’s mark of Carl Blank, workmaster to the Court goldsmith Karl Hahn,
St. Petersburg, 1896. Inventory number: 1513
9.5 x 6.1 cm x 2.1 cm
One of the Blank stamps has been later overstruck with that of Henrik Wigström.
Provenance
The presentation box was acquired by the Imperial Cabinet from Hahn on 15th May, 1896 at a cost of 925 roubles, and was itemised in the record books as no.19.
It was presented to State Counsellor Pavel Pavlovich Mendeleev (1863-1951) on the same day, in gratitude for the role he played during the Imperial couple’s coronation which had taken place just the day before.
Pavel was the brother of the distinguished chemist Dimitry Mendeleev.
In a private English collection in 1953, and illustrated in The Art of Carl Fabergé by A. K Snowman, plate II.