Antique Late 19th Century Blue Russian Imperial Guilloche Enamel Faberge Snuff Scent Bottle
Small Russian Imperial Faberge blue guilloche enamel scent/snuff bottle, inlaid in silver. The antique enamel bottle measures approximately 2". The condition is very good with no enamel losses, chips, repairs, or scratches.
Fabergé Guilloché Enamel Scent Flask (c. 1890) – Craftsmanship & Imperial Elegance
The Art of Guilloché Enamel in Fabergé’s Creations
Guilloché enameling is a signature of Fabergé’s exquisite craftsmanship. This technique combines precise engine-turned engraving (guilloché) on metal with layers of translucent enamel fused over top, creating a shimmering, iridescent effect
Peter Carl Fabergé famously applied translucent enamel over guilloché-engraved gold and silver on his Imperial Easter eggs and countless luxury objects from the 1880s onward
By the turn of the 20th century, Fabergé’s workshop had perfected guilloché enameling in an astonishing range of intricate patterns and in over 145 luminous enamel shades
The result is a vibrant play of light and color – as one moves a Fabergé piece, the engine-turned waves or sunburst lines beneath the enamel seem to flicker and glow, a hallmark of Imperial Russian opulence.
Master Workmasters: Wigström, Rückert, and Fabergé’s Enamel Artistry
Such opulent pieces were brought to life by Fabergé’s master craftsmen, known as workmasters. One notable figure was Henrik Wigström, who served as Chief Workmaster from 1903 until 1917. Wigström oversaw the creation of many of Fabergé’s later treasures – including Imperial eggs and numerous enamelled objets d’art – carrying on the legacy of his predecessor, Michael Perkhin
Under Wigström’s leadership, Fabergé’s workshop produced a large quantity of superbly crafted guilloché enamel items in gold and silver, from delicate pendant eggs and jeweled frames to luxurious scent bottles and desk clocks
Another famed workmaster was Feodor Rückert of Moscow, celebrated for his enameling expertise.
Pieces bearing Rückert’s mark (Ф.Р. in Cyrillic) were sometimes sold independently and sometimes retailed through Fabergé’s Moscow shop
Hallmarks of Imperial Russia: 84 Zolotnik and Fabergé Maker’s Marks
Authentic Fabergé pieces carry a variety of Russian hallmarks that speak to their origin and quality. In Imperial Russia, silver purity was measured in zolotniki, with 84 zolotniki being the standard for most fine silver objects in the 19th century.
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. An “84” mark stamped on a piece indicates 87.5% pure silver content
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, roughly equivalent to the sterling standard. A Fabergé scent flask circa 1890 would thus typically bear the “84” silver mark as a guarantee of quality. Alongside the purity mark, one finds the maker’s mark – usually the initials (in Cyrillic) of the Fabergé workmaster responsible. For example, Michael Perkhin used М.П., Henrik Wigström HW (or ХВ in Cyrillic), and Feodor Rückert ФР. These initials, struck into the metal, identified the master craftsman.
Fabergé’s pieces often went a step further by including the name “K. Fabergé” in Cyrillic and, for items sold in the Moscow shop, the Imperial double-headed eagle emblem, signifying Fabergé’s status as Imperial Jeweler
All of these marks – the 84 zolotnik standard, the workmaster’s initials, the assay marks, and the Fabergé brand – work in concert to authenticate a Fabergé scent flask and place it in the rich context of Imperial Russian luxury craftsmanship.
Scent Bottles as Imperial Luxury Objects
In the late 19th-century Russian court, even functional personal items like perfume flasks became objets d’art. Members of the Imperial family and aristocracy prized these scent bottles not only for holding perfume or smelling salts, but also as symbols of taste and status. Fabergé elevated the scent flask into a jewel-like treasure, crafting them from precious materials such as silver, gold, hardstone, and enamel. Many were given as gifts or used as elegant accessories at the imperial court.
Fabergé scent bottles and flasks of this kind have graced both museum collections and prestigious auctions. The piece pictured above – shaped like a miniature tube – is one charming example, enameled in pale blue and attributed to Fabergé around 1890–1900.
This piece bears the marks of Fabergé’s St. Petersburg workshop – including the firm’s initials and the imperial 56 zolotnik gold mark, attesting to its authenticity.
In today’s market, Fabergé guilloché enamel scent flasks remain highly sought-after by collectors of fine art and antique decorative objects. They encapsulate the elegance of the Imperial Russian court, carrying stories of aristocratic refinement and the meticulous workmanship of Fabergé’s atelier. A circa 1890 Fabergé silver scent bottle with guilloché enamel is thus not merely a utilitarian vessel for perfume, but a miniature masterpiece – a tangible piece of history entwined with the romance and grandeur of the last years of the Romanov era.
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