Christel Ludewig McCanless Collection Related to Peter Carl Fabergé (SC-27)

Born on November 20, 1939, in Peenemünde, Germany, Christel Ludewig McCanless is a former librarian and noted Fabergé scholar. She currently resides with her husband George in Huntsville, Alabama, where she immigrated with her parents after fleeing Russian occupied East Germany in 1953. Her father, Hermann R. R. Ludewig, was a missile and space engineer at the Peenemünde Army Research Center under Wernher von Braun.

While serving as the Library Director of the University of Alabama in Huntsville in the 1960s, she became interested in the art of Fabergé after reading Robert K. Massie's book, "Nicholas and Alexandra,” and Morton Shulman's book, "Anyone Can Make a Million." Massie's book provided the historical details of imperial Russia in which the decorative art of the Russian court jeweler, Peter Carl Fabergé, flourished. Shulman's book discussed how one "can make a million" in collecting art objects. As a practicing librarian, McCanless instead began collecting pieces of paper, in the form of books and journals, which mentioned Fabergé and his art.

In 1994, she published her first book, "Fabergé and His Works: An Annotated Bibliography of the First Century of His Art," the first annotated bibliography of literature about Fabergé. Her second book followed in 2001, which she co-authored with Australian scholar Will Lowes. "Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia" is the only work of its kind and is the premiere reference work on the subject.

Through the course of her work, McCanless connected with a tremendous network of fellow Faberge scholars and enthusiasts and as a result, went on to found the "Fabergé Research Newsletter" and "Fabergé Research" website in 2006. The site continues to serve as a vehicle for disseminating new research and discoveries about Fabergé and his art.

Additional biographical information can be found at Encyclopedia.com (link provided by McCanless).