A large and unusual two coloured enamelled silver gilt mounted lacewood photograph frame, rectangular with translucent royal blue enamel over moiré grounds and opalescent oyster coloured enamel over sunburst grounds, the enamel panels mounted with vari-coloured gilt acanthus leaves and rosettes, supported a hinged wooden strut which closes flush to the back of the frame.
Workmaster: Fedor Afanassiev, St. Petersburg, 1908-1917.
35cm by 30cm
Provenance
Acquired from a private Italian Collection.
In February 1910 Fabergé undertook a sales trip to Rome. The majority of Fabergé’s customers in the city were drawn from the Italian Royal family and aristocracy. Queen Elena of Italy, wife of King Victor Emmanuel III, acquired twenty pieces; she had a fondness for the colour mauve and six of her choices were enamelled in the colour. She also liked items made from wood and bought two frames and two papers cutters made from bird’s-eye maple.