THE MCFERRIN COLLECTION AT THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE

TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Extravagance. Luxury. Splendor. Opulence. These arejust a few of the words that come to mind whenconsidering the body of work produced by the Houseof Fabergé. The court jeweler for the Romanov familyin late 19th and early 20th century Imperial Russia,Fabergé is renowned for his breathtaking ImperialEaster Eggs, royal jewels, and objets d’art. Yet perhapsjust as fascinating are the wonderful everyday objectshe created for the wealthy patrons of Europe—cigarettecases, scent bottles, frames, clocks, small desk items,fans, cufflinks, handbags, and more. Fabergé’s keenbusiness sense and awareness of the era shaped hisvision, leading to both the brilliance of his objects andthe refinement of his business.

The upcoming book From a Snowflake to an Icebergfeatures approximately 350 Fabergé pieces from theMcFerrin Collection, currently on display at theHouston Museum of Natural Science, accompanied byin-depth essays highlighting the collection andrevealing the captivating history behind the objects.Written by internationally recognized Fabergé experts, the articles include comments and research by Peter L. Shaffer, Dr. Géza von Habsburg, Alice Milica Ilich, Dr. Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm,Matthew Stuart-Lyon, Christel Ludewig McCanless,Daniel Brière, Annemiek Wintraecken, Dr. MarkShaffer, and John Atzbach. The book also features aforeward by Tatiana Fabergé, the great-granddaughterof Peter Carl Fabergé, and personal reflections byDorothy McFerrin, including her insights on compilingone of the world’s most significant private collectionsof Fabergé in less than a decade.Not to be missed, From a Snowflake to an Icebergwillbe available later this year through the HoustonMuseum of Natural Science. All proceeds from thebook will benefit the Museum, where the McFerrinCollection will remain on extended loan for severalyears. The stunning selection of Fabergé objects illustrated inthe following pages is simply the “tip of the iceberg.”We hope you enjoy this glimpse inside the brilliantworld of Fabergé.

An array of objects from the McFerrin Collection, on display in the exhibition Fabergé: A Brilliant Vision,

opening February 1, 2013 at the Houston Museum of Natural Science