fashioned from a single block of chrysoprase in a rectangular upright form, the front centred to the top with a circular platinum bezel set with rose diamonds, containing an opaque white enamel dial beneath a domed glass, with Arabic chapters and openwork gold hands, mounted with a chased two-coloured gold rosette encircled by a laurel wreath, with recessed silver gilt lined base containing the original gold key, three gold keyholes to reverse with gadrooned gold covers, the mechanism by Valme Geneva.
Chief Workmaster: Henrik Wigström, St. Petersburg, circa 1914, inventory number: 24445.
6.8 cm by 4.3 cm by 3.1 cm.
Provenance
Purchased from Fabergé’s branch at 173 New Bond Street, London by Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich, on 5th June 1914 for £65. It was the costliest of the three clocks Grand Duke Michael bought from Fabergé’s London shop.
Given by the Grand Duke to Her Majesty Queen Mary, Queen Consort of King George V, Empress of India.
Given by Queen Mary to her granddaughter Her Royal Highness The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden. Kept by the Princess in her apartment within Kensington Palace
Sold at the Princess Margaret sale Christies, London, 13th June 2006, lot 131
Illustrated
‘Fabergé in London’ (McCarthy, K, 2017) page 180.
Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution, Victoria & Albert Museum (London, 2021), pages 168 and 169.
The entry in Faberge’s London ledgers for the purchase of the clock by Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich.
The design for the clock is contained in the Wigström workshop album, page 311, dated 27th March 1914.
H.M Queen Mary
