Get the paddles at the ready! Christie’s in London will soon play host to one of the most exciting sales of the year so far with a stellar line-up of rare and unique Fabergé pieces that trace their lineage directly to imperial Russia.
The Wernher Collection of Fabergé, featured in the wider London Collections sale, opens for browsing on 19 March, with bidding kicking off on 26 March and wrapping up on 9 April.
At the heart of the collection lies the story of Lady Zia, Countess Anastasia Mikhailovna de Torby, and her husband Sir Harold Wernher Bt., who spent nearly five decades showcasing these treasures at their Luton Hoo Estate.
Lady Zia’s parents, Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess Sophie Merenberg, Countess de Torby, were among Fabergé’s principal patrons in St Petersburg and London, and may even have received some objects as gifts from Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Maria Feodorovna.
Among the notable lots, collectors can expect to see Fabergé’s hardstone flower studies, including lifelike forget-me-nots and wild strawberries, estimated at £120,000–£250,000. Each appears freshly plucked and placed into a rock crystal vase, a testament to Fabergé’s meticulous craftsmanship. Also bound to spark interest are the carved hardstone elephants, reflecting Countess Torby’s personal fascination with these majestic creatures.
Collectors can also expect to see an assortment of smaller, intricately worked objects, such as jewelled frames, novelty figurines, and possibly silver-gilt boxes, that exemplify the brand’s legendary craftsmanship. Some were documented purchases by members of the Romanov family, shedding light on Fabergé’s historic status as the jeweller to the Russian court.
Beyond the Fabergé highlights, the London Collections sale showcases property from several notable British families. Pieces from the Viscount Wimborne collection demonstrate a legacy rooted in industrial expansion, with French, Italian, and English furniture, silver, porcelain, and Old Master paintings once gracing Canford Manor, Wimborne House, and Ashby St Ledgers Manor.
This section provides a window into 19th- and early 20th-century aristocratic life, where grand estates and significant art acquisitions went hand in hand. Also included is a group of silver from the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, illustrating changes in dining customs from the Georgian to Victorian eras, as well as pieces by master goldsmiths such as David Willaume and Paul Storr.
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