A rare, museum quality, highly important FABERGE two-color gold and guilloche enamel double picture frame.

The frame was made in St. Petersburg between 1908 and 1917.

Two rose gold round frames are joined together with a gold bow. The frames are embellished with a superb quality bluish-white guilloche enamel that has a golden sheen. Each frame is applied over the enamel with a finely chased matte green gold laurel wreath tied with a polished rose gold bow.  The borders of the frames are chased with matte green gold laurel leaves.

The scrolling strut is made out of gilded silver.

The majority of Faberge picture frames were made in silver gilt. Gold frames are very rare. Faberge gold frames were popular among European royalty which they exchanged as gifts on various occasions. There are over 20 Faberge gold and enamel picture frames preserved in the British Royal collection.

Marked FABERGE in Cyrillic (the mark struck twice with a slight displacement), workmaster’s initials ‘ЯА’ for Hjalmar Armfelt, 56 zolotnik Imperial gold standard (14K), St. Petersburg assay mark, 88 zolotnik silver standard (.916), scratched inventory number 2278E, and a later French swan-shaped import mark (on the strut).

Total width 15.2 cm (5 15/16 in.)

Height 7.5 cm (2 15/16 in.)

Total weight 142 grams

This exquisite double frame could be a great wedding or anniversary gift.

Provenance: ex-Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, Russian Works of Art Auction, December 11-12, 1979, lot 398.