History

Gustave Faberge arrived in St. Petersburg in 1842. He opened a goldsmith and jewellery shop, and would eventually become famous for his highly decorated Easter eggs. In 1860, he retired and his business was taken over by the manager, Zaiontchkovsky. Ten years later, Karl, Gustave’s son began to lead the company. They changed locations twice in the course of thirty years. In 1890, they moved out of their basement flat and into a larger space on the ground level. In 1900, they moved to No. 24 Morskaya Street. During this time, Carl and his four sons, Eugene, Alexander, Nicholas and Agathon II (named after Carl’s brother who died in 1895), ran the shop. In 1918, the Soviets took over the shop and the Faberge family. Carl died in Switzerland in the late 1920s.

The London branch was established in 1903. It was first located at the Portman House on Duke Street, then 32 Old Burlington Street. From 1906-1911, they were situated at 48 Dover Street, and from 1911 until the post-war years, 173 New Bond Street.

This firm invented more than 145 snew shades of enamelling. In Russia, their common mark was K.F in cyrillic, while in London it was C.F or Faberge.