Faberge Eggs

Another unique and beautiful collection of eggs, are the world famous Faberge Eggs. A Faberge Egg is one of as many as 69 jeweled eggs created by Peter Carl Faberge between 1885 and 1917. The most famous are the ones made for the Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II as Easter gifts for their wives and mothers. The House of Faberge made 50 such 'Imperial' Easter eggs, of which 43 have survived. Two more were planned for Easter 1918 but were not delivered due to the Russian Revolution in which the Romanov Dynasty was overthrown and all the members of the imperial family executed. (Wikipedia).

Many of these precious eggs contained surprises inside, such as in the case of the first egg made, known as the Hen Egg, which opened to reveal a matte yellow-gold yolk. This in turn opens to reveal a multi coloured hen which also opens. The hen contained a minute diamond replica of the imperial crown from which a small ruby pendant was suspended, but these last two elements have been lost.

The egg pictured above is the Imperial Coronation Egg, 1897, the most famous and iconic Faberge egg of all time. (Photo Courtesy of Bing Images).

Whilst there are several eggs still missing, one surfaced at a bric a brak market in mid west US, where it was unwittingly bought for £8000 by a scrap metal merchant, who wanted to melt it down for the gold content. It was only years later that the merchant, who couldn't sell it for a profit, decided to research the inscription written on it. It was then he discovered a Telegraph article written about a missing Faberge egg with a picture of the merchants egg.

It was sold at auction for £20 million.

Whilst the the thought of hunting for the remaining missing eggs is appealing, here at The Emporium, we much prefer the natural ancient beauty that are Marble Eggs.