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Of vivid green hue often banded with black,
malachite is a hydrous copper
carbonate first mined by the ancients in the 4th
millennium B.C. The famous
mines of King Salomon in the Wadi Arabah were
an important source of malachite,
which was used for jewelry and talismans as well
as a cosmetic for the eyes when
powdered. The Egyptians prized it especially for
this reason, and members of the
nobility, bath men and women, applied it to their
eyelids with ivory sticks. Not only
did it make the wearer more attractive, but it was
also believed to prevent
infections and other diseases of the eye, for
which purpose it is still used today. For
centuries, malachite bas been employed
especially as a talisman for children,
thought to protect them from ail the diseases
and difficulties of the very young. In
Europe today, malachite is frequently hung
around the necks of babies, or placed
above the cradle where they sleep. It is also said
to relieve toothache and pains of
the mouth. Because of its high copper content,
malachite when worn helps the
body to overcome problems caused by
deficiencies of this mineral, especially
arthritis. In Imperial Russia, it was used
extensively for jewelry and objets de
vertu, especially by the house of Faberge.
The decorative arts of the late Russian Imperial
era are epitomized by the world
famous House of Fabergé. Their flagship
establishment at 26 Bolshaya Morskaya in
St. Petersburg attracted the rich and famous from
the world over who came to
shop at this exclusive boutique in search
beautiful, jewel-encrusted articles which
they would use in their everyday life. Of all their
creations, none are as celebrated
as their Imperial Easter Eggs; however, Fabergé
created a diverse line of luxurious
decorative offerings. A box such as this one,
while not a work of Fabergé, very
much reflects the influence of their taste and
style. Only the finest materials are
used: bright green malachite with intricately cast
gilt silver fittings inlaid with
rubies. This box evokes the beauty and
sophistication of Imperial Russia. Although
that world has long since vanished, through
objects such as this box we can
glimpse the luxury that defined the lives of the
Czars and the aristocracy.
- (CK.0782)
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