Unique Faberge Eggs
Faberge Eggs have always been special to me.
I’ve been searching them out at art auctions since I was in my
early twenties. I did a term paper on the Faberge Company and their
history of making eggs for the Russian Tsars between 1885 and
1917.
The first Faberge Egg that I ever found at an
art auction was actually quite by chance. The Faberge Egg was not
one of the advertised items and was actually a bottle topper. I
instantly fell in love with it and took it home from the art
auction for one hundred dollars.
I saw an
advertisement for a tropical Faberge Egg from a collection St.
Petersburg. It was set to be up for sale at an art auction in New
York City. I knew that I was going to be unable to purchase it, but
I wanted to see it in person and at least put in one of the lower
bids.
The tropical Faberge Egg at that art auction in
New York City ended up selling for over six thousand dollars. That
is out of my price range, but I was happy just to have been in the
same room with this masterpiece. The eggs themselves are just
exciting to be near.
The first Faberge Egg was made in 1885. I know
that it will never turn up in an art auction, but hopefully I will
see it someday in an exhibit. The first one was commissioned by
Tsar Alexander III and was given to his wife as an Easter present.
The surprise inside the egg was a golden hen in a golden yolk. The
hen was wearing a tiny crown with a ruby hanging inside.
The antique Russian Faberge Egg that I found at
an art auction recently was so detailed. The silver enamel egg has
rubies and eagles and is marked with Faberge hallmarks. I was able
to win this egg because I was bidding with someone else’s money.
The best eggs always end up with the richest people.
The piece that I want in my collection is a
genuine Lillies of the Valley Faberge Egg. I found one at an art
auction I went to ten years ago. I was unable to buy the one I saw,
because I didn’t have the money at the time. I’ve been saving for
the time that I see another one.
The Lillies of the Valley Faberge Egg is covered
with pearls and pale pink enamel. The egg is on a stand that has
legs of matte green-gold leaves with rose dewdrops. The
gold-stemmed lilies of the valley have green enamelled leaves and
pearl flowers. I will look for this egg at every art auction I ever
attend.
This Faberge Egg is delightful. It is surmounted
by an Imperial crown of rose crystals. There is a pearl knob that
reveals the surprise of this egg. The surprise is portrait
miniatures of Czar Nicholas II and his two oldest daughters. The
portraits are framed in rose crystals and backed with gold panels.
I have heard a rumor that one will be at an art auction next year
in Miami.
The last art auction I attended I purchased a
Faberge Egg called the Imperial Clover Egg. It was for my personal
collection and I won it for under a thousand dollars. I felt like
it was quite a steal at that price.
The Imperial Clover Faberge Egg was originally
made with a four leaf clover inside of it that had portraits of the
four daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra. The portraits went
missing during the Russian Revolution. The egg that I bought at the
art auction had a stem of clovers standing upright. Two clovers in
green enamel and the third, a four leaf clover, was done in
diamonds. The diamond four leaf clover is a pin that can be
worn.
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