True to form, three of the ten top sums were paid out for Fabergé from the single-owner collection offered at Sotheby's Bond Street sale on May 27. A nephrite casket with enamelled gold mounts marked for Mikhail Perchin was up there amongst the best-sellers at £70,000 as was a nephrite snuff box with rose diamond, enamel and gold mounts with St Petersburg 1908-17 marks which realised £40,000, both selling to the UK trade.
But this 2 1/2in (6cm) grey Kalgan jasper model of a circus elephant, right, with marks for St Petersburg c.1890 left its £8000-12,000 estimate standing when it sold at £65,000 to a private purchaser.
