A scandal around the name of Faberge

On December 9-12, the International Moscow Jewellery Fair to be held in Russia’s capital city may create a sensation, Jewellery Business Centre, the organizer, says. During those days, festivities will be also held marking 1,000 years of Christianity and 100 years of Russian jewellers’ triumph at the Paris World Fair in 1900. On the fair’s closing day, a ceremony of conferring the Carl Faberge Orders on outstanding jewellers and Russian patrons of art is to be held. In the meantime, Tatyana Faberge, the famous jeweller’s great granddaughter who is also a honorary chairwoman of the Carl Faberge Memorial Foundation, came out with a sensational statement. In particular, she said the following. “I am deeply concerned that my name is used to cover controversial events. I have learned through ITAR-TASS that I was declared founder of the Karl Faberge Order. This award is planned to be conferred at the exhibition Yuvelir-2000 in the Moscow Expo Centre on Krasnaya Presnya on December 9th this year. The Carl Faberge Order was established by the Russkiye Samotsvety association in 1997 and three decent persons have been awarded with it by now. Jeweller artist A. Popov from St. Petersburg has all copyright for this badge… I state that I have nothing to do with the coming Carl Faberge Order rewarding ceremony at the Yuvelir-2000 exhibition.” So, before opening, the Moscow International Jewellery Fair does create sensations. So far, scandalous, our correspondent Yelena Korneyeva reports.