Match-holder, rectangular brick form, gold mounted with entwined serpent handles set with cabochon sapphires and pearls. Manufacturer's name 'A. Gusarev, Moscow' moulded into brick.

One of three match holders formed of bricks made by the Gusareva factory in Moscow and now in the Royal Collection, two of which are by Fabergé. This example is mounted with handles in the form of pairs of entwined serpents. The serpent motif was used with great regularity by Fabergé’s designers whether for mounted objects or as an integral part of the design of an object . The Gusareva factory supplied the bricks to build the German cemetery at Vedenskuga, Moscow. Nicholas Kelch, brother of Alexander, Henrik Bolin, one of the founders of Fabergé’s competitor Bolin and Oscar Pihl, one of Fabergé’s workmasters and the father of Alma Pihl are buried there.

Mark of Erik Kollin; gold mark of 56 zolotniks (before 1896); brick stamped A.GUSAREV, MOSCOW in Cyrillic characters

Text adapted from Fabergé in the Royal Collection