Sculpture of the Day: Four Little Fabergé Pigs, 1896-1903

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of:
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II

Michael Perchin (1860-1903) of Fabergé, between 1896 and 1903, created a barnyard full of miniature animals of precious metals and stones for Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII. This collection was one of the few things upon which Queen Alexandra and her daughter-in-law, the Duchess of York (the future Queen Mary) could agree.

Here we see one of Perchin’s most elaborate figure groups—four sleeping piglets. To distinguish between the litter of drowsy piglets, Perchin used chalcedony and agate fixed to a gold mount underneath. The technique was referred to as “mosaic sculpture.” The sculptor has created precise detail which is reminiscent of netsuke carving, a technique that fascinated Carl Fabergé, who amassed an important collection of Japanese netsuke.

The group bears the mark of Michael Perchin and a gold mark of 56 zolotniks (1896-1908).