Faberge cigarette case?

[meyrink]

Hello.

I have found this 1. World War silver cigarette case, which is known to have been made by Faberge. Can I ask you for your opinion on authenticity?

There is no scrateched inventory number. I have found this case in literature without the name Faberge on the front lid in collection of The State History Museum in Moscow. I find it strange that the name Faberge should be placed so ostentatiously.

Thank you

[AG2012]

Hi,
This cigarette case was known the have been made of BRASS and every silver case of this form I have seen had faked marks.
Russia was already on the verge of disaster and financial chaos in 1915 and Faberge started with items made of non pressious metals for a good reason.
It is well known that silver currency was withdrawn from circulation at the time, so 88 silver cigarette case made in 1915 is a nonsense.
Regards

[meyrink]

Thank you very much.

I have found this silver cigarette case sold in Wartski and Christies (2010, 2013, 2016) so I have doubts. In Museum Collection in Moscow I also fould both types (brass and silver).

https://mus-col.com/en/collection/decor ... ies/17018/
https://mus-col.com/en/collection/decor ... ies/17028/

Best wishes

[AG2012]

It is machine die stamped. Wherebouts of dies are unknown. Those dies are made os steeel and expensive to make and once made, they are meant to stamp hundreds, or even thousands pieces to be prifitable.
Difficult to judge, even if items are kept in museums; compare with Sevres porcelain, most of museum collections are not real Vencanes and Sevres.
Provenance is also important; those things are not found in garage sales. On the other hand, whatever is profitable to sell easily emerges in Eastern Europe and Far East.
Regards

[Juke*]

Hi!

Could you clean the marks thoroughly and take a closeup photo. I would be interested to see the marks very clearly.

Regards,
Juke

[AG2012]

This is better close up of the same above mark.
As you can see КФ and the kokoshnik mark are completely wrong and not even dangerous fakes; the fake punch was obviously cut by a person not familiar with Hellenic alphabet / letter delta.
Regards

[Juke*]

I fully see and understand AG's concern especially for the second set of marks. However I would like to see the marks cleaned and then sharp closeup of them to see how they look and how they are made. There are rests of polishing paste which needs to be cleaned to have a clear view.

[Qrt.S]

Those cigar, cigarette cases were made during the Great War in copper and silver as well as plated. The aim was to support disabled soldier and their families. There are still a lot of those cases circulating on the market. Nothing special to put in the Christmas tree. The quality is not the best...war time! I find it rather strange that they would have been made in 88 zol. silver, more likely in 84. See AG2012's input above. I share his opinion!

[meyrink]

Thank you, everyone. I don't have this cigarette case in my possession, so I can't provide better photos of the hallmarks. It was offered in an auction in Slovakia with a high starting price and did not sell. When I searched for them, I found them in two versions - with and without the Fabergé name on the front. Most of them were in 84 fineness. Some with an inventory number, some without (even the ones marked in St. Petersburg).

[Qrt.S]

Fabergé's name on the front like that proves nothing at least not that it is silver. Those boxes were made in innumerable numbers.