This rock crystal vase was presented to King George V and Queen Mary on the day of their coronation, 22 June 1911. King George V’s diary records: ‘Today was indeed a great and memorable day & one which we can never forget…There were hundreds of thousands of people who gave us a magnificent reception.’ Such was the warmth of the reception that the King and Queen made a reappearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at 10.30 in the evening. The vase is in the Renaissance style, engraved with stylised fire-bird creatures and inscribed with the date of the coronation and the royal arms. Polychrome enamel set with cabochon rubies, sapphires and emeralds are applied to the gold mounts. The vase was already in stock in the London branch when it was purchased, and it was specially engraved for Leopold de Rothschild, a connoisseur of Fabergé, to present to the King and Queen, filled with orchids grown in his hot houses at Gunnersbury Park.

Mark of Michael Perchin; gold mark of 72 zolotniks (1896-1908); Fabergé in Cyrillic characters

Text adapted from Fabergé in the Royal Collection