We present a fabulous quality egg pendant in the form of a miniature gilt helmet with a double-headed eagle, globus cruciger, and the historical Imperial coat of arms of Moscow - Saint George. The pendant is made of 88 imperial gilt silver. Below the double-headed eagle is the inscription in Russian: "За Веру и Верность", “For Faith and Loyalty” – the motto of the highest award of the Russian Empire, the Order of St. Andrew.
It is truly a unique piece of jewelry.
The pendant measures approximately 39.5 mm in length.
The weight is 13 grams.
The pendant is in excellent vintage condition.
It's a larger pendant with some incredible detail that draws the eye closer - and gets better the longer you look!
It's fully matching, original bale ring is stamped Cyrillic initials "ЯА" (YA)- the master's mark Karl Gustav Hjalmar Armfeldt, and also “α” alpha—indicating the inspection by the St. Petersburg Assay Office, the woman's head in a kokoshnik looking to the right, and "88"- imperial silver.
Karl Gustav Hjalmar Armfeldt was a Finnish silversmith and Fabergé workmaster. He worked as Fabergé's workmaster beginning in 1895, and used the mark ЯА. Armfeldt also worked under the silversmith Antti (Anders) Nevalainen and became his closest assistant in 1901.
He became a master in 1904 and was given the exclusive opportunity to buy the workshop of Johan Victor Aarne. Armfeldt produced objects for Fabergé until 1916, working on projects like those of Johan Viktor Aarne, like tiny gem-set frames, silver-mounted birchwood frames, hardstone frames, gem-set enameled gold articles, and silver figures on hardstone bases.
This pendant is not just a piece of jewelry; it's a piece of history, connecting you to the rich heritage of Russian Imperial craftsmanship.
Please note: Authentic Fabergé objects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries were not issued with certificates of authenticity.
Authenticity is determined through examination of original maker’s marks and assay marks, materials, craftsmanship, construction techniques, and comparison with published reference examples.