FABERGE by Knut Oskar Pihl 1895 Enameled Pink Guilloche Brooch In Gold & Diamonds
An enameled guilloche brooch designed by Knut Oskar Pihl / Oskar Pihl for Faberge.
This is a fabulous antique brooch created in Moscow Russia during the imperial period, circa 1895. This belle epoque brooch has been designed with neo-classic patterns in the Louis XVI style, at the workshop of Fabergé’s work-master in Moscow Knut Oskar Pihl senior (active 1887-1897) and retailed by Fabergé at the Moscow branch. The brooch was made up with several parts crafted in solid yellow gold of 14 karats with a delicate curvilinear silver frame. Mounted with a nice assortment of one-hundred-forty-four rose-cuts diamonds and embellished with an engine turned guilloche panel, which is topped with iridescent pink glass enamel. It is fitted at the reverse with a concealed hinged horizontal pin bar and a security safety hook.
Knut Oskar Pihl senior
Knut Oskar Pihl (1860-1897) became master in 1887 and marked in Latin letters OP in an oval cartouche. In his workshop was mainly made jewelry but also some small art objects. The production was exclusively sold in Faberge’s shop in Kuznetski most 4 in Moscow. It is stated that Knut Oskar Pihl was named Oscar Gustavovich Pill and marked in Cyrillic ОП. That is not the case. His name was Knut Oskar Pihl and he marked OP with Latin letters only. However, in Russia he might have used the patronymic name Gustavovitsh according to local habits. He father's name was Gustaf. Oskar married August Holmstrom's daughter Fanny Florentina (1869-1949) in 1887 and they had 5 children of which two of them became very famous goldsmiths. They were Alma Theresa Phil (1888-1976) who designed the famous Winter egg and Oskar Pihl (1890-1959) prominent Fabergé work master.
Oskar Pihl junior
Oskar Woldemar Pihl was a Russian silversmith of Finnish origin, a grandson of world-famous silver and goldsmith August Wilhelm Holmström and son of Knut Oskar Pihl. Both the grandfather and the grandson were prominent Fabergé work-masters. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, Oskar learned the trade and became a jeweler, he made small items such as enameled tie pins and brooches. Although he had started his work in Saint-Petersburg, after the Russian Revolution in 1917 he moved to Finland, where he continued his journey as a craftsman. Later on, Oskar Pihl became a designer and an art director at Tillander, Finnish company, that manufactures jewelry, founded in Saint Petersburg and currently based in Turku, Finland. Exquisite pieces of jewelry art, his works were acknowledged all over the world. Oskar Pihl became the knight, first class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the knight of the Order of the Lion of Finland, two of the three official orders in Finland. What is remarkable, the design of that very Order of the Lion badge was created by no one, but Oskar Pihl himself. Distinguished pieces of art, created by Oskar Pihl both when working at Fabergé and afterwards are still considered as some of world’s finest jewelry items and treasured by collectors from all over the world.
Alma Theresa Pihl
She was destined to be one of Fabergé’s most unique designers, Alma was born in Moscow, daughter of Knut Oskar Pihl, the head of the Fabergé workshop in Moscow and the granddaughter of August Holmström, Fabergé’s leading jeweler. Following the death of her father in 1897, Alma’s mother moved the family into the St. Petersburg home of her parents. Here Alma studied drawing with Eugen Jakobson (1877-1940) an artist for the Fabergé firm. The pattern-drafting lessons he provided gave the gifted Alma the background that would eventually land her a job with her uncle Albert Holmström as a trainee in the Fabergé workshops. Her task was to document the items being produced in the workshop by rendering a life-size detailed drawing of the item, documenting the gemstones and other materials used, and noting the cost.
Country: Moscow, Imperial Russia.
Period: Edwardian, belle epoque 1895-1905.
Designer: Knut Oskar Pihl (works-master mark), Alma Pihl (daughter), Oskar Pihl (son).
Retailer: Faberge, Moscow or Saint Petersburg branches.
Diamonds: Mount in flush Mille-grain settings, with an assortment of 144 sparkling calibrated rose cut diamonds, with a total weight of about 0.74 carats, F/G/H color, SI clarity.
Weight: 10.2 Grams, (6.55 Dwt).
Measurements: 33 mm by 26 mm by 4 mm (1.30 x 1.02 x 0.16 Inches).
Hallmarks: Stamped with Imperial Russian marks, the pre-1899 mark of St. George in horse for the city of St. Petersburg, the maker's mark OP inside an oval cartouche associated to Knut Oskar Pihl / Oskar Pihl, the zolotnik standard mark for the assay and warranty of the .583/.999 gold, remains of unidentified numbers and signed as follows, "OP 56".
Zolotnik
The zolotnik was also used to measure fineness of precious metals (gold, silver, platinum). In this case, the ratio zolotnik/font was meant, so one zolotnik meant 1⁄96. For example, 14-karat (58.33%) gold was named "56-zolotnik gold" in Russia.
Guilloché
This term is used in fine jewelry to enhance the appearance of brooches, rings and pendants. Guilloché enamel refers to metal pieces that have been given the Guilloché treatment and then covered with a translucent layer of enamel, giving the geometric patterns underneath the enamel a colorful hue.
Millegrain
This is a jewelry technique which refers to the textural effect of a close-set line of metal beads that are typically used as a border on the edges or bezels of jewelry.
Literature: Tillander-Godenhielm, Ulla. Jewels from Imperial St. Petersburg, London: Unicorn Press Ltd. 2012. Weir-de La Rochefoucauld, Juliet. Women Jewellery Designers, Suffolk, UK: ACC Art Books, 2017.
Collateral: This Fabergé / Knut Oskar Pihl brooch is accompanied by a presentation jewelry box.
Collateral: This Fabergé / Knut Oskar Pihl brooch is accompanied by a certificate appraisal prepared by a GIA certified gemologist stating all the characteristics of this piece of jewelry, the exact description of the gemstones and the today's market replacement value.
Condition: The overall condition of this Fabergé / Knut Oskar Pihl brooch is excellent. Besides the little normal wear, there is no damage to the gold. The 144 diamonds and the enamel are secured in the settings. This brooch was carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.
INVENTORY REF: P061225EENM/.1912
