A Fabergecarved hardstone parasol handle with a jeweled gold and guilloché enamel mount, workmaster Michael Perchin, St. Petersburg, 1899-1903. The ball-shaped handle of carved and polished rutilated quartz, the mount enameled translucent white over a wavy engine-turned ground and mounted with a row of five cast and chased tulips in green gold, each flowerhead centered with a cabochon garnet, all within fluted red gold collars. Struck on the lower collar with workmaster’s mark and 56 gold fineness standard (equivalent to 14K). Height: 3 ¼ in. (8.1 cm).Rutilated quartz is so-called because of the elongated titanium dioxide inclusions known as rutiles. The striking material has been popular with jewelers for centuries and the inclusions are popularly known as maiden hair or arrows of love (flèches d'amour). The firm of Fabergemade a number of important pieces containing rutilated quartz, including a table seal with a white guilloché enamel mount by workmaster Michael Perchin now in the Royal Collection (RCIN 9137), given to Queen Mary by Prince and Princess Nicholas of Greece (i.e., Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna) in 1935. The seal is reproduced in Caroline de Guitaut,Fabergein the Royal Collection, London, 2003, cat. no. 296, p. 220.