Live Auction 7598Russian Art
A two-colour gold cigarette-case
Lot 462 THE PROPERTY OF MRS HUMPHREY BROOKE

A two-colour gold cigarette-case

MARKED FABERGÉ, WORKMASTER'S MARK OF AUGUST HOLLMING, ST. PETERSBURG 1896-1908, WITH SCRATCHED INVENTORY NUMBER 4249

Closed11 June 2008

Price Realised

GBP 7,500

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A two-colour gold cigarette-case
marked Fabergé, workmaster's mark of August Hollming, St. Petersburg 1896-1908, with scratched inventory number 4249
Rectangular, the body decorated with alternating reeded bands of yellow and red gold, with a nephrite push-piece, later engraved with an inscription inside the cover, marked inside cover and base
3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm.)
The inscription inside reads: 'Humphrey/November 27th 1946/Vienna - Lime Kiln'.

Count Alexander Benckendorff and by descent to Countess Nathalie Benckendorff.

Specialist note

Count Alexander Benckendorff (1849-1917), was Russian Minister in Copenhagen before becoming the last Russian Ambassador to the Court of St. James's, London, from 1903. After his death, his widow Countess Sophie Benckendorff purchased Lime Kiln in Suffolk. Their grand-daughter, Countess Nathalie Benckendorff, married [Thomas] Humphrey Brooke CVO on 27th November 1946. Humphrey Brooke CVO (1914-1988) was the secretary to the Royal Academy from 1952 until 1968 and a distinguished rose grower at Lime Kiln.