A Fabergé jewelled gold, enamel and hardstone bonbonnière, workmaster Michael Perchin, St Petersburg, circa 1890

carved of striated brown agate as a neritiform mollusc shell, the hinged lid of black taille d'épargne enamel within scrolls, inset with a green-enamelled gold rouble coin of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna dated 1756 within a border of rose-cut diamonds, struck with workmaster's initials and Fabergé in Cyrillic, 56 standard, scratched inventory number 48977

Excellent condition and beautifully made
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Lady Mairi Bury (1921-2009), youngest daughter of Charles, 7th Marquess of Londonderry and the Hon. Edith Chaplin, granddaughter of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland, was a successful breeder of thoroughbred horses, a pioneering aviatrix, renowned philatelist and the last owner of Mount Stewart, her family's ancestral home in County Down which she gave to the National Trust in 1977 and where she often greeted her guests with a macaw on her shoulder.  The interest of the Londonderry family in the treasures of Imperial Russia can perhaps be traced to 1821 and the famous gift of fourteen magnificent and perfect Siberian amethysts from Emperor Alexander I to Frances Anne, wife of the 3rd Marquess; these jewels are now on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

The motif of the shell was a popular one among Fabergé's workmasters and derives from 18th century objects, mostly German, carved of stone into shell-form boxes and set with precious mounts.  The present lot's nearest comparables in Fabergé's production are the bonbonnière, its lid enamelled in blue and white stripes and set with a moss agate panel, illustrated, H. C. Bainbridge, Peter Carl Fabergé, 1972, pl. 54; and another with a green-enamelled lid, Christie's Geneva, 28 April 1976, lot 186.

A selection of Lady Mairi's jewellery is included in Sotheby's sale of Noble Jewels in Geneva, 15 May 2012.