Heritage Auctions made headlines on December 16 with its Imperial Fabergé and Russian works of art auction, achieving just over $10 million in sales. The auction featured a diverse range of imperial-era antiques, including almost 100 Fabergé items and famed items by the enameler, Feodor Rückert.
The event highlighted Fabergé’s iconic craftsmanship—famous not only for its eggs but also for its intricate objets d’art. However, two lots ultimately defined the record-breaking auction.
Leading the sale was a Russian En Plein and Cloisonné Enameled Gem-Set Gilt Silver Casket, inspired by Ilya Repin’s Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks and crafted by Khlebnikov between 1908 and 1917. It sold for $625,000, setting a new auction record for the Khlebnikov firm.
Another highlight was a Feodor Rückert Russian En Plein and Cloisonné Enameled Gilt Silver Casket, which sold for $362,500. The box was inspired by Konstantin Makovsky’s Boyar Wedding and showcases Rückert’s unparalleled artistry.
“We are thrilled with the results,” Heritage’s Director of Russian Works of Art, Nick Nicholson, said in a press release. “It is really a testament to the quality of the objects and the taste and eye of the collectors. It was an honor to work with them, and Heritage was able to present these works with new research to a new audience.”
According to Nicholson, collectors can look forward to more opportunities to acquire similar treasures as Heritage Auctions expands its offerings of Russian and European fine art.
While sales were impressive, they didn’t come close to the most notable Russian antique to hit the auction block, the Fabergé Winter Egg, which sold for $9.6 million at a Christie’s auction in 2002. The egg is made of platinum, diamond, and rock crystal and remains one of the most celebrated examples of Fabergé’s artistry.
