AUGUST HOLLMING (1854-1913) - Fabergés Finnish master goldsmith

554. A Locket, Fabergé, August Hollming, estimate 5000 €

The legacy of the master goldsmith Karl Fabergé (1846–1920) within the history of jewellery and goldsmithing can hardly be overstated. The finest works produced by Fabergé have lost none of their appeal, and these exquisitely crafted luxury objects remain highly sought after on the international market. Fabergé’s legendary reputation, however, was not the achievement of a single individual. Behind it stood a remarkable network of skilled craftsmen. Fabergé collaborated with 24 master goldsmiths, of whom 14 were Finnish. He is said to have greatly valued the Finns’ craftsmanship, as well as their honesty and reliability.

Many of the young Finns who travelled to St Petersburg came from modest backgrounds and sought apprenticeships with Fabergé in the hope of securing a better future. In St Petersburg, continuity and tradition were highly regarded, and the skills of the goldsmith’s trade were passed down from master to apprentice. Fabergé was constantly searching for talented craftsmen, whom he often found through the workshops he established and employed. His entire St Petersburg production depended on these independent, master-owned workshops, where each master bore primary responsibility for quality and delivery schedules. These workshops functioned much like businesses of their day, and their masters became known through the maker’s marks they stamped on their creations. Under the terms of their agreements, Fabergé provided them with commissions, while their entire production was sold exclusively to him.

Born in Loppi, August Hollming began his career as an apprentice to the gold- and silversmith Carl Fridolf Ekholm in his workshop in Helsinki. Ekholm specialised in luxury objects and furnishings. As an ambitious young man, Hollming sought greater opportunities and obtained permission to relocate to St Petersburg in 1875. Four years later he received his master’s certificate and soon afterwards began his collaboration with Fabergé. Initially operating from his own workshop, he moved in 1900 to Fabergé’s business premises on Bolšaja Morskaja Street.

Hollming was a skilled, productive and adaptable goldsmith who produced commissioned works for the Imperial Cabinet. These included small gold jewels, brooches, bracelets, pendants, cufflinks and tie pins bearing imperial insignia and set with coloured gemstones and diamonds. Such pieces were frequently presented as gifts by the Imperial couple during their travels, and many eventually found their way into Finnish ownership. Hollming also created modern jewellery designs for sale through Fabergé’s shop. At Easter, his workshop produced a large proportion of Fabergé’s miniature eggs, which were required in their thousands. Another important category of production consisted of cigarette cases. Hollming married Erika Gustava Abrahamsson, and the couple had three children. Their eldest son, Väinö, followed in his father’s footsteps and eventually inherited the workshop.

The locket featured in this auction, adorned with diamonds and a four-leaf clover motif, is a charming example of the refined craftsmanship associated with Hollming’s work. Fabergé’s enamel work is renowned for its exceptional quality, and the surface of this small heart-shaped pendant shimmers in delicate golden and pale blue hues as it catches the light.

 

Litterature: Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm, Fabergén suomalaiset mestarit, Tammi, 2011.