There are a few jewellers who excite an auctioneer more than the name Faberge. Imagine, if you will, a lady comes into our reception with two umbrellas, the first has a handle of carved wood in the form of a Scottie dog. The second umbrella handle is much more important, immediately recogonised by our jewellery expert Jethro Marles, the handle was from the House of Faberge. The quality of the handle was apparent from the start. The handle was the work of Michail Perchin working in St Petersburg for the Faberge family.
The Faberge parasol handle was enamelled, gold, bowenite and rose diamond mounted. The pale green bowenite ball above a collar decorated with translucent pink guilloche enamel with applied gold wreaths of laurel and between rose-diamond set bands. Stamped with workmaster Michail Perchin, St Petersburg marks.
Estimated at £10,000-15,000 this Faberge parasol handle will be one of the major lots to be included in Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood auction on the 28th January. The owner originally thought of throwing the umbrella away or taking it to a local charity shop. Thanks to the expertise of Jethro Marles the Faberge parasol handle was correctly indentified and now is included in our inaugural Fine Sale on the 28th January 2009.
