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MUSIC BOX

Creator(s): Fabergé (Firm) , Henrik Immanuel Wigström (Workmaster)

On view in: Icon Room


About this object

In 1907 Feliks and Nikolai Iusupov gave this music box to their parents, Prince Feliks and Princess Zinaida, as a twenty-fifth wedding anniversary present. The Roman numerals XXV, set in diamonds, form the thumbpiece, and the initials of the four family members appear in the lower corner panels of the octagonally shaped box. Six of the Iusupov palaces are depicted in sepia enamel panels on the music box's top, bottom, and four sides. When opened, the music box plays "The White Lady" by François Boieldieu, the march of the senior Prince Feliks's regiment, the Imperial Horse Guards.

Decorated in the Louis XVI style, box has six panels decorated with sepia enamel, which depict six Yusupov (Iusupov) palaces. On top is a view of Arkhangel'skoe, Iusupov summer palace outside Moscow seen from the garden side. On front is a view of the palace on the Moika in St. Petersburg. On bottom is a view of the Koreiz palace in the Crimea. On back is a view of the dacha in Tsarskoe Selo near St. Petersburg. On left end is a view of Rakitnoe, their palace in Kursk. On right end is the residence in Moscow, which had originally been a hunting lodge of Ivan the Terrible. The enamel panels are bordered with white opaque enamel beading, white flowerets, and transparent green leaves. On two front corners are the single initials F and Z surmounted by a crown (for Felix/Feliks Sr. and Zinaida). On two back corners are the initials N and F each surmounted by a crown (for Felix / Feliks Jr. and Nicholas). The thumb piece is in gold, silver and tiny diamond and contains the number XXV in diamonds for the 25th wedding anniversary. In the interior covering the music works is an openwork panel with a lyre, horns, wreath swags. The music box plays "The White Lady," by François Boieldieu, the regimental march of the Garde à Cheval, Feliks Iusupov Sr.'s regiment.

Object name:
MUSIC BOX
Made from:
Gold -- enamel -- diamonds -- rubies
Made in:
Saint Petersburg, Russia
Date made:
1907
Size:
1 7/8 × 3 1/2 in. (4.7 × 8.9 cm)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
11.80.1-2
Class:
GOLD
Signature marks:
MARK: HW (initials of workmaster Henrik Wigström); 72 for gold standard; signed Fabergé in Cyrillic [see also marks on bottom]
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973