FABERGÉ: A CHALCEDONY AND DIAMOND RAT, CIRCA 1900 the rat in...

Hammer

£10,000

FABERGÉ: A CHALCEDONY AND DIAMOND RAT, CIRCA 1900
the rat in seated position, with textured body and curling tail, rose-cut diamond set eyes.
Total weight 29.2gms
4.7cm long x 3.5cm high

A CARVING OF A RAT IN GREY CHALCEDONY, THE BODY, FUR AND TAIL FINELY WORKED IN
THE MANNER OF A JAPENESE NETSUKE. THE EYES SET WITH ROSE CUT DIAMONDS.
Japanese works are art were little known in the West until the 1850’s when a number of
commercial agents began to import them to Europe and America. One of these was a firm
called Yamanaka situated in St. Petersburg, opposite that of Fabergé in the Nevsky Prospect,
selling carved ivories, bronzes, enamels and netsuke carvings. The meticulous observation of nature which characterised Japanese craftsmanship caused an aesthetic revolution in the West and it is widely acknowledged as the germ of the Art Nouveau movement.
However, Carl Fabergé was particularly fascinated by netsuke carvings and collected them personally and some of his best animal carvings were inspired by them. Like their Japanese predecessors Fabergé’s lapidaries represented every detail of their models in the round including fur, feathers, feet, claws and sometimes the gender of the subject. In this case the rat is clearly inspired by a netsuke from the Kyoto school and possibly by a particular artist called Okatori (see Netsuke: A Comprehensive Study Based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, by
Neil Davey. 1982. Catalogue numbers 199 and 200).
For similar studies of rats and mice by Fabergé see ‘Fabergé and Japan’, by Geoffrey Munn.
The Antique Collector. 1987.
Geoffrey Munn OBE, MVO

PROVENANCE
Property of the descendants of, Captain the Honourable Patrick George Edward Cavendish Acheson MVO, DSO, RN   1883-1957

Member, Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) in 1904

Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) 1915

Order of St.Stanislas of Russia 2nd Class with Swords

Croix de Guerre

Commanding officer of the British Naval Flotilla on the Rhine 1919-1921

FAMILY 
Son of Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson, 4th Earl of Gosford and Lady Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu

Louisa was the daughter of 7th Duke of Manchester and Luise von Alten. Luise was known as the ‘Double Duchess’, as she subsequently married 8th Duke of Devonshire and it was understood within the family that Louisa was actually the daughter of Devonshire hence the long-lasting connection with the Devonshires and Chatsworth.

Patrick’s three sisters were the subject of John Singer Sargent’s 1902 painting of ‘The Acheson Sisters’ currently in the Devonshire Collection and on display at Chatsworth.

CAREER
In 1902, upon graduation from the Dartmouth Royal Naval College, Britannia, Patrick was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. Promoted to

Lieutenant in 1904 he was posted to HM Yacht Victoria and Albert. In

the same year he was created MVO 5th class for his services to the

Royal Family (a typical recognition for officers serving aboard the

yacht). At one point he served as Flag Lieutenant to

Admiral Sir John Fisher. As Lieutenant-Commander, he was posted aboard HMS Inflexible in November 1912. As a result of the First Balkan War and

the general build-up of tensions across Europe British naval forces in

the Mediterranean were shifted at this time, with a Battle Cruiser

Squadron including HMS Inflexible remaining at Malta while most other ships were withdrawn to Gibraltar and home waters.

Upon the outbreak of hostilities in August, 1914 Patrick remained aboard Inflexible and would be party to many of the major naval engagements of the war. Starting with the pursuit of the German cruisers SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau, to duties in the North Sea in support of air raids on the coast of Germany, the Battle of the Falkland Islands, on to the Dardanelles (awarded a DSO), and back to the North Sea in time for the engagement at Jutland.  Patrick’s eye-witness account is held by the Imperial War Museum.

Near the war’s end, Patrick was given command of a newly established Rhine Patrol Flotilla based in Cologne as part of the occupation of the Rhineland. Taking a flotilla of nearly 80’ motor launches (ML’s) across the Channel, up the Seine through Paris, on the Marne to the Marne Rhine Canal, to Strasbourg and then north along the Rhine to Cologne Patrick established the Royal Navy’s presence as part of the larger British Army of Occupation.

During this period Patrick was entertaining visiting dignitaries including Field Marshall Haig, Churchill, French General Mangin and HRH The Duke of Connaught.

ROYAL FAMILY CONNECTIONS
Patrick served on the Royal Yacht HMY Victoria and Albert and would have been present during the Russian Imperial Visit to Cowes, 1909 which included Emperor Nicholas II of Russia (Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov) and the Grand Duchess Olga the eldest daughter of Nicholas and Alexandra. The mother of Nicholas, The Dowager Empress Maria, and her grand-daughter Olga are to be seen in several photos taken aboard the Royal Yacht.  Also, there are photos of Princess Victoria and Princess Maud (later Queen of Norway), the daughters of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.  Patrick was known to be particularly close to Princess Victoria who corresponded with him personally.

Alexandra (Princess of Wales and subsequently Queen, being the wife of Edward VII) was Sponsor (godmother) to Patrick Acheson and his sisters. 

Various family members were in Queen Alexandra’s household.  4th Earl of Gosford (Patrick’s father) was Vice Chamberlain to her household 1901-22.  Louisa, Countess of Gosford (4th Earl’s wife and Patrick’s mother) was Lady of the Bedchamber.  Alice Stanley Countess of Derby (Patrick’s aunt) was Extra Lady of the Bedchamber and her daughter, Lady Victoria, was one of the Women of the Bedchamber.  Alice and Louisa were daughters of the ‘Double Duchess’ (wife of first the Duke of Manchester, and subsequently wife of the Duke of Devonshire).

 Patrick attended numerous shooting parties at Chatsworth, Bolton Abbey and Sandringham in the company of both Edward VII and George V and he spent much of his early life and every childhood Christmas at Chatsworth.

 Late in the 1890’s, while staying at Chatsworth, Prince Albert (later Edward VII) is said to have sent a mince-pie over to young Patrick’s table, commending it specifically to him. As Patrick set upon the pie with relish, he quickly discovered that it was filled with mustard! Stories of other practical jokes played on him by King Edward VII have been passed down the family.

 

Patrick’s parents were very much part of the Marlborough House set led by the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.  Queen Alexandra remained friends with Louisa Gosford after the death of her husband and there are in existence a number of personal letters, some of which mention Patrick specifically. Louisa was also a great friend of Queen Mary, wife of George V and was made Dame of the British Empire in 1920 and a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John.

More Information

The body of the rat is in good condition and has the interesting play of colour from grey to brown under differing lights. The body is in overall good condition. One of the diamond eyes has been re glued and is probably a replacement diamond. Each ear has a chip. The left ear chip is situated on the lower edge of the ear and reaches above and below the edge. The right ear chip is to the top of the ear and reaches below the edge. The middle two toes of the left front paw have been chipped. We will send more images to you of close ups of the flaws.