The American businessman Henry Penn Wenger (1927-1997) built a tasteful collection of paintings and works of art in the 1950s and 1960s. He acquired many items, featuring rare works by Fabergé and exceptional Russian enamel objects, from the influential gallerists Lemon Saks (1907-1993) in Denver and Ilya Doub (d. 1984) in New York. Danish-born Lemon Saks maintained contacts with his native country, where he was known to have acquired many of the important objects that he would offer for sale to Wenger. Through Ilya Doub’s relationship with the Russian aristocracy, the broader émigré community and the Appraisers Association of America, Wenger equally had a chance acquire works of major significance and great quality. The works have remained in the same collection since their acquisition.
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‌Wenger was known by his family, friends and associates as an exceptionally erudite thinker, adventurer, explorer and savvy investor. Together with his father, Henry E. Wenger (1887-1972), he formed Aurora Oil and Gas Co., which later became a branch of Marathon Oil Co, and then went on to form his own petroleum company. Prior to these business ventures, during his studies at University, Wenger travelled extensively, particularly to Central and South Asia and Africa. Known also for cherishing his privacy, Wenger preferred to live a quiet and reserved life. He ensured that his passionate interests and collecting activities of Russian works of art, as well as his numerous philanthropic gestures remained private, and often anonymous.
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‌Fabergé's hardstone animals have been in vogue as collectibles since the beginning of their production around 1900. Appreciated for their amusing and whimsical adaptation of animal forms, they are equally examples of masterful carving and use of semiprecious hardstone that enhances the naturalistic appearance of the animals. Compared to the more usual small animals, this boar is a rare example of a large ‌Fabergé hardstone figure.