- 2 min read
- by Bluedog
Fabergé: a truly exclusive...egg!
Fabergé eggs are authentic egg-shaped jewelery-masterpieces.
The egg, with its meaning of rebirth, is the true symbol of Easter. We also find it at the table: from the many recipes that include eggs as the main ingredient or decoration (just think of the Easter breads that incorporate hard-boiled eggs inside them, typical of many areas of Italy), up to chocolate eggs, a must for this festivity.
Among Easter traditions related to the egg, the most exclusive certainly comes from Russia. These are Fabergé eggs, authentic jewelry masterpieces of inestimable value and intriguing history.
A story that began in St. Petersburg towards the end of the 19th century, where the habit of presenting Easter gifts adorned with jewels developed among the highest spheres. Thus it was that Emperor Alexander III wanted to pay homage to his wife, Tsarina Marija Fëdorovna, with an imperial Easter egg, commissioning it from jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé.
It was 1885, and Fabergé presented a jewel that on the outside resembled a real egg, white in opaque enamel, a little over 6 cm large, but which inside housed a matryoshka structure of precious jewels: an egg yolk which opened to reveal a golden hen, with a miniature of the imperial crown inside with an egg-shaped ruby.
The surprise was so popular that it started the tradition of "Imperial Eggs" which lasted until 1917. In this period Fabergé created eggs of various sizes: from small ones like pendants, to hang around the neck, to large majestic eggs. Each year the theme and appearance varied, depending on the inspiration of the goldsmith, or the circumstances. In 1900, for example, the year the Trans-Siberian was inaugurated, the egg had engraved the route of the railway on the outside, while on the inside the highlight was a miniature gold train.
How many Fabergé eggs are there?
The imperial eggs created by Fabergé for the Tsars total 52. The largest owner in the world is Viktor Feliksovič Veksel'berg, a Russian entrepreneur who owns fifteen (including the first). Three, however, are the eggs in the possession of King Charles III of the United Kingdom.
James Bond also contributed to the myth of these jewels: a model was the protagonist in Agent 007 - Octopussy (Operation Octopus), the 13th film in the saga, when the secret agent was played by Roger Moore.
How much do Fabergé eggs cost?
Each imperial egg is worth several million. Still, some of the 52 Fabergé eggs have been lost over the years.
The latest discovery took place in 2014, and it happened to a Midwestern antique dealer. This is the imperial egg created in 1887: a jewel consisting of a yellow gold egg resting on a pedestal with lion's paw feet, containing as a surprise a Vacheron Constantin lady's watch with an enamel dial and an openwork diamond set on golden hands.
After this discovery, six imperial Fabergé eggs are still missing. And who knows if one is not well hidden in the attic of one of our villas for sale on Lake Maggiore.
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