A dachshund, carved in striated brown agate with rose diamond eyes.

Among the remarkable variety of breeds kept in the kennels at Sandringham by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, the dachshund was well represented. W.A. Dutt refers to 'the rare and valuable rough-haired Bassets - dogs of the dachshund type of which the Sandringham kennels possess examples not to be beaten anywhere'. Queen Victoria was the first British monarch to be particularly fond of dachshunds. From the 1840s onwards she had brought over from Coburg many examples of the breed, some of which became her favourite pets. In 1908 Grand Duke Michael purchased from Fabergé's London branch for £14 10s 0d a dog described as 'Dashund (Basset Dog) calcedy'. In addition in 1912 Queen Alexandra purchased a sculpture of Sandringham Dido ('Dog, white magnesite, 2 rubies, "Sandrg Dido" £36'), a smooth-haired Basset hound which had won Best of Breeds at Crufts in 1907. It is not possible to identify her purchase among the portrait sculptures now in the Royal Collection.

Text adapted from Fabergé's Animals: A Royal Farm in Miniature