LONDON.- Castle Howard, one of Britain’s greatest and most beautiful country houses, has for generations been home to one of the most important collecting dynasties in Britain. Among their vast collections includes one of the last important groups of Fabergé animals in private hands, some thirty pieces of Fabergé and vertu that were carefully stored in a leather case in the private reaches of the estate. Once or twice a year, the figures would emerge to form the decoration on the dining table for a large dinner party.

Encapsulating the whimsical charm and artful craftsmanship of the most famous jeweller of the time, these rare animals are characterised by their thoughtful use of appropriately chosen hardstones and their diversity of scale. The pieces range from a tiny vole carved of smoky quartz to a commanding obsidian rhinoceros, a captivating bloodstone anteater to a charming series of woodland animals. Alongside the menagerie, the collection also includes Fabergé and European desk accessories.

With parallels to the Sandringham collection of Fabergé animals commissioned for King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1907, now held in the Royal Collection, the animal studies assembled at Castle Howard epitomise Fabergé’s unmatched craftsmanship and creativity.

The remarkable group will be offered in May 2025, as a major highlight of Sotheby’s Fabergé, Gold Boxes & Vertu auction in Geneva. Prior to the auction, highlights will be exhibited to the public at Sotheby’s Dubai (7-11 April), Sotheby’s London (25-29 April) and in the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva in May.

Part of the proceeds from the auction will contribute to the restoration of the Tapestry Drawing Room, enhancing the public collections of Castle Howard. In 1940, a devastating fire gutted the Tapestry Drawing Room, which has remained a shell ever since. As part of a major renovation of Castle Howard’s historic interiors, from April 2025, visitors will be able to see the fully restored and decorated space, with the tapestries that originally hung in the room returned to their original positions. Nicholas Howard, whose family have lived at Castle Howard for more than 300 years, commented, “I’m sad to be losing this beautiful collection, but it deserves to be seen more often than it currently is. And the proceeds of the sale will assist us in the re creation of the Tapestry Drawing Room which will be seen by everyone who comes through the house.”

A Look Inside the Collection

Described by late British jeweller Kenneth Snowman as ‘essays in stone’, Fabergé animals are thoughtful sculptures influenced by the miniaturist carving traditions of Japan, China and Europe. They are usually small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand, just as with the ivory and wooden Japanese netsukes in which they find their origins, and of which Carl Fabergé had his own collection.

A rare Fabergé jewelled bloodstone model of an anteater, St Petersburg, 1887-1900 (estimate: £45,000-65,000)

Some animals recur frequently in Fabergé’s production of hardstone animals – with numerous pigs, dogs, frogs, ducks, elephants in a range of poses and coloured stones. The more exotic animals, however, are few and far between.

This sculptural, dynamic carving of an anteater ranks among the very rarest, with only a few known examples of the animal in existence. Here, Fabergé’s master craftsmen elevated what had come before in animal sculpture, adding their characteristic, and renowned, finesse.

A large Fabergé jewelled obsidian model of a rhinoceros, St Petersburg, circa 1900 (estimate: £50,000-70,000)

Fabergé animals were most often executed on the smallest of scales, but the size and finish of this rhinoceros make it an exceptionally rare example of a large Fabergé carved animal figure.

It is also a perfect example of the utmost concern held by Fabergé to source the perfect mineral specimens – of the right colour and markings – for each individual study.

Whilst obsidian – a volcanic mineral formed from quickly cooled lava – is most commonly very dark in colour, this example is sheen obsidian, an iridescent variation. The natural effects of the stone give the rhinoceros a charmingly realistic finish, with the patterns mimicking the wrinkles in the animal’s skin.

Designs for these hardstone animals gained inspiration from myriad sources – including real life animals – in this case, perhaps, Albrecht Dürer’s infamous print, A Rhinoceros, of which there has been a woodcut print in the Royal Collection since circa 1810.

A Fabergé jewelled agate model of a Siberian ibex, St Petersburg, 1900- 1914 (estimate: £45,000-65,000)

Some of Fabergé's most charming miniature carved figures of animals are made from the extensive range of agates often found in the Urals, among the oldest mountains on Earth. Stones were carefully selected to enliven the tiny creatures; the colouring of the stone suggesting the natural variations in fur, feathers, or hide. When combined with the lively and expressive carving, the variations from red to brown to grey add a convincing realism to this figure of a Siberian ibex.

This figure is formed of one single piece of stone, with the negative space between the horns and the body testament to the deep understanding for carving in three dimensions.

A gold-mounted owl-figure (estimate: £40,000-60,000)

Inherently delightful and showcasing exceptional craftsmanship, this figure of an owl shares many similarities with the exotic bird studies found in the Royal Collection. The choice of the stone expertly replicates the natural colour gradations of an owl’s plumage and is further accentuated through the finely carved detailing of every individual barb and feather.

The collection also includes another owl study in nephrite and a rare agate model of a hoopoe with gold feet.

A jewelled agate model of a hare (estimate: £40,000-60,000)

Alongside exotic animals, the Howard collection also includes further charming examples of woodland creatures, including this hare, thoughtfully carved from a piece of adventuirine quartz. The surface of the stone has been carefully worked to show the texture of soft fur and to reflect the musculature of the agile hare, with delicately fitted diamond eyes.

Further delightful examples of how Faberge’s lapidary craftsmen looked at a stone very carefully, imagining how their figuring could exploit the natural qualities of the stone and its ability to hold light include a topaz model of a rat (estimate: £20,000-30,000) and miniature smoky quartz model of a vole (estimate: £20,000-30,000). Both studies are luminescent and incredibly detailed, with expertly carved tails and ears.

One of the largest animals in the collection is a commanding model of an elephant in rock crystal (estimate: £20,000-30,000). One of the largest animals in the Howard collection, it sits like a veritable crystal ball, showcasing a beautiful, reflective sample of rock crystal.