Among the favorite objects of collectors are the animals the Fabergé workshop brought to life as bejeweled miniatures, such as the gold, silver, agate, diamond, and ruby bulldog known as The Balletta Bulldog. Rendered in perfect detail and with an extremely lifelike expression—we could meet this dog on the street and recognize him—the miniature bulldog was created as a luxurious personal gift. Commissioned by Grand Duke Alexi Alexandrovich around 1905 for ballerina and actress Elizabeth Balletta, it depicts her beloved dog, Cody. His bejeweled collar bears his name, as well as his address in Paris, “Av. Bosquet 9.” From flowers to dogs to furniture, Faberge’s workshop carved out a specialty in valuable miniatures around the turn of the 20th century. The survival of these works in museum collections speaks to their enduring popularity with collectors and visitors alike.