Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Mastery of Design: The Blue-Eyed Fabergé Guinea Pig, c. 1900

Guinea Pig
Carl Fabergé
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Via The Royal Collection Trust and
Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II




Of the dozens upon dozens of miniature precious Fabergé animals in The Royal Collection, there are two Guinea Pigs.  One has ruby eyes, and one has sapphire eyes.  This is the latter.  

Made of quartzite, aventurine quartz, obsidian, and cabochon sapphires, this adorable and valuable rodent was made around 1900 for Queen Alexandra who started the whole "miniature menagerie" madness.  

His body of white translucent quartzite is inlaid with pale patches of tawny aventurine-quartz.  Wee ears in obsidian rise above and especially bright eyes of cabochon sapphires, making him far cuter than his younger brother.






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