Empress Maria Feodorovna, christened Dagmar, was the daughter of King Christian IX of Denmark. The Order of the Elephant is an emblem of the Danish Nation and Fabergé produced hardstone carvings modelled on its badge.
The Fabergé Museum holds two such models; one carved in grey Kalgan jasper and the other in smokey quartz. The latter was acquired from Fabergé by the Imperial Russian Cabinet in 1893 for 165 roubles and was presented as a gift by Emperor Alexander III and Empress Maria Feodorovna on a visit to Copenhagen in August that year. Both studies are playful representations of the Order and the elephants are carved with humorous facial expressions.