A Selection of Faberge Masterpieces from The Harry Woolf Collection

New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANSlife) Christie's announces the sale of an iconic, private collection of Faberge masterpieces from the collection of Harry Woolf, to take place at Christie's London on November 29, 2021 during the Autumn Russian Art sales season. The selection comprises 86 pieces from Woolf's extraordinary Faberge collection which he personally composed over a period of nearly fifty years from the 1970s until 2019.

Among the exquisite pieces are outstanding examples of objet d'art from the House of Faberge -- from jewelled hardstone animals and decorative photograph frames, to pillboxes, scent bottles, silver pieces and jewellery. A Selection of Faberge Masterpieces from the Collection of Harry Woolf is, with particular reference to the collection of hardstone animals, considered to be one of the very finest private collections. Woolf is recognised for having collected only the very finest examples of their type all of which exemplify the extraordinary craftsmanship and design of Faberge and its master craftsmen of the time.

Harry Woolf began to collect Faberge in the early 1970s at a time when he was already a successful businessman and owner of the London-based pharmaceutical company, Underwoods the Chemists. Woolf relied solely on his own instinct and finely attuned eye in pursuit of the pieces that he purchased. The result is one of the most exemplary Faberge collections known to have been curated by any private collector in the last fifty years.

Due to the quality, rarity and breadth of Woolf's collection, pieces have been highly prized as loans to major Faberge exhibitions around the world taking place at important museums and institutions. Woolf became a regular and generous lender to Faberge exhibitions who wished to showcase pieces from among his revered collection throughout his lifetime.

More than ten rare pieces from Woolf's prestigious collection (which are not included in the Christie's London collection sale) are included in the forthcoming pivotal exhibition taking place at the V&A in London opening on November 20, Faberge: From Romance to Revolution.

Alexis de Tiesenhausen, International Head of the Russian Art Department, and Margo Oganesian, Russian Works of Art Specialist comment, "Harry Woolf's impeccable taste, discerning vision and quest for perfection led him to establish one of the most revered iconic collections of Faberge known in private hands. His collection has been a point of reference for all connoisseurs and lovers of Faberge around the world for nearly half a century. It is a great privilege for Christie's London to offer over 80 masterpieces from this collection and to have been entrusted by his family."

Estimates range from �1,000 - �200,000 and the collection is expected to realise in the region of

�2,150,000-3,151,500.

A pre-sale exhibition global tour will take place at Christie's in Dubai, from October 22-27 followed by Paris, from November 18-22. The collection will be on view from November 25-29 at Christie's London with the auction taking place to live at 1 p.m. on November 29.