Oct 15, 2025 10:00 EST
Old Master Paintings / Russian Art / Silver / English & Continental Furniture
112
Fabergé Silver and Jasper Hand Seal
Moscow, 1908-1917, scratched inventory number 24312, with a later French import mark
Of tapering square section, the top chased with whorls, above a reeded band set with two faceted rubies, on a stepped square jasper base.
Height 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm).
Provenance:
Purchased by Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna (1876-1940) from Fabergé's St. Petersburg branch on January 26, 1910 for 30 roubles.
Christie's, New York, October 22, 2024, lot 223.
Moscow, 1908-1917, scratched inventory number 24312, with a later French import mark
Of tapering square section, the top chased with whorls, above a reeded band set with two faceted rubies, on a stepped square jasper base.
Height 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm).
Provenance:
Purchased by Grand Duchess Maria Georgievna (1876-1940) from Fabergé's St. Petersburg branch on January 26, 1910 for 30 roubles.
Christie's, New York, October 22, 2024, lot 223.
Notes:Grand Duke George Mikhailovich (1863-1919) was the third son of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich (1832-1909) and the grandson of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia (1796-1855). He was married to Princess Marie Georgievna (1876-1940), née Princess Maria of Greece and Denmark, daughter of King George I (1845-1913), and Queen Olga (1851-1926), née Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia. The couple wed in 1900 and had two daughters, Princess Nina Georgievna (1901-1974) and Princess Xenia Georgievna (1903-1965).
The Grand Duke and his family initially lived in St. Petersburg before settling in 1907 at Kharaks, their newly built estate in the Crimea. Located close to the palace of Emperor Nicholas II at Livadia and to Ai Todor, the palace of Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, Kharaks played host to numerous members of the imperial family and St. Petersburg society, including Nicholas II and his family.
A comparable Fabergé silver hand seal from the collection of Grand Duke George Mikhailovich (1863-1919), inscribed 20 Feb. 1910, was sold Christie's, New York, May 20, 2015, lot 46 (https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5896359). The hand seal had descended in the family to Princess Nina Georgievna Chavchavadze (1901-1974) and later to Prince David Pavlovich Chavchavadze (1924-2014).
The rubies have been replaced, the jasper base is almost certainly later. The silver with minor scratches and bruises, consistent with age and use.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Old Master Paintings / Russian Art / Silver / English & Continental Furniture, Oct 15, 2025
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Auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings, Drawings & Prints on October 15, 2025
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New World Auction Records for Stéphane Baron and Camille Wauters
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held a successful auction of Old Master and 19th-century Paintings and Drawings on October 15, 2025. The auction presented works from the 16th through the early 20th centuries, including portraits, still lifes, and landscapes, along with mythological, historical, and allegorical subjects. A surprising high point was reached by A Young Courtesan, by the rare French allegorical and literary painter Stéphane Baron (1830-1921), which soared above its pre-sale estimate of $2,000-4,000 to achieve $41,600 — a World Auction Record for the artist. Once sold as a modern evocation of the Biblical story of Susanna and the Elders, the painting’s more straightforward interpretation clearly sparked a rush of fascination.
Another surprise was the enthusiastic bidding on a View of Aswan, Egypt, 1890, an imposing orientalist painting by the Belgian landscapist Camille Wauters (1856-1919). A monumental architectural work enlivened with vivid color, this painting also attracted considerable interest, which carried it to a result well above its pre-sale estimate of $3,000-6,000 to $28,800 — a World Auction Record for this artist, as well.
Highlighting the old master drawings on offer was a rare, newly discovered landscape in black chalk and gray wash by the great 17th-century Dutch master Jacob Isaackszoon van Ruisdael (1628/29-1682), best known for his extensive landscapes of the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The drawing, River Landscape with Figures beside a House with a Tower, was sold to a distinguished client in Paris for $32,000, an unusually high price for a 17th century work on paper. The property of a New York estate, it had remained in private hands for more than 60 years, and until this sale was unknown to scholars in the field of 17th-century Dutch art.
Additional Categories in the Sale
Special sections of the sale also showcased English & Continental Silver and Russian Works of Art on Oct. 15 and English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts on Oct 16.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
