Imperial Barometer

1900–1901

Imperial Barometer, 1900–1901. Johan Viktor Aarne (Finnish, 1863–1934), House of Fabergé (Russian, 1842–1918). Palisander, silver gilt, ruby; overall: 14 x 12.5 cm (5 1/2 x 4 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The India Early Minshall Collection 1966.484 After obtaining the official warrant to supply objects for the imperial household and the Russian state in 1885, the House of Fabergé became the shop of choice for members of the royal family when purchasing appropriate gifts for the tsar who had everything. Records of these purchases reveal that in 1901 the tsar's brother, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich (1878-1918), bought a barometer in the neoclassical style made from palisander wood just a few days before his brother's 33rd birthday. The description of that barometer matches the one now in this collection and is likely the same object. This barometer was likely sold by the Soviet Union between 1934 and 1939 as part of a general selling off of former imperial possessions to raise money for the state treasury.