1912 Tsarevich Faberge Egg

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1912 Tsarevich Faberge Egg

About the Item

1912 Tsarevich Faberge egg 5.5 inches tall enamel gold plated pewter, Austrian Crystals hand-painted padded satin lined gift box imported this sparkling egg is adorned with clear crystals and high-polished enamel with golden trim. It opens on a hinge and has a magnetic closure to keep the box securely shut. The piece also comes in a beautiful gift box. The Tsarevich Egg is a Faberge egg, one in a series of fifty-two jeweled eggs made under the supervision of Peter Carl Faberge. It was created in 1912 for Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna as a tribute by Faberge to her son the Tsarevich Alexis (Alexei). The egg currently resides in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Faberge Eggs have a remarkable story and while the original Faberge eggs are virtually priceless, extraordinary re-creations of Carl Fabergeâs works are not only fabulous to look at but wonderful to own and collect. You ask the question, âhow much would an original Carl Faberge egg cost in todayâs marketâ. Hereâs a story that will give you that answer: Los Angeles Times: âA Faberge egg found at a flea market by a scrap-metal dealer who initially didn't realize the value of what he had discovered will be on public view for the first time in more than a century, according to a British art and antiques dealer. The egg, thought to have been made in the late 19th century for Russian royalty, was purchased years ago at a U.S. flea market for just $14,000, said the antiques dealer, Wartski. The buyer was interested in the item for its gold content but later suspected the piece might be even more valuable. The egg was later sold to a private collector. The identities of the buyer and seller haven't been revealed. Wartski didn't disclose how much was paid for the egg, but some estimates put its value as high as $33 million. It will be on display at Wartski in London from April 14 to 17.â The first Faberge egg was crafted for Tsar Alexander III, who had decided to give his wife, the Empress Maria Fedorovna, an Easter egg in 1885, possibly to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their betrothal. Although there is no official record of the Tsar's inspiration for it, many believe that he was moved by an egg owned by the Empressâs aunt, Princess Vilhelmine Marie of Denmark, which had captivated Mariaâs imagination in her childhood and of which the Tsar was well aware. Known as the Hen Egg, the very first Faberge egg is crafted from a foundation of gold. Its opaque white enameled "shell" opens to reveal a matte yellow-gold yolk. This in turn opens to reveal a multicolored gold hen that 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.[2] Maria was so delighted by the gift that Alexander appointed Faberge a "goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown" and commissioned another egg the next year. After that, Peter Carl Faberge was apparently given complete freedom for the design of future imperial Easter eggs, and their designs became more elaborate. According to Faberge family lore, not even the Tsar knew what form they would takeâthe only requirements were that each contain a surprise, and that each be unique. Once Faberge had approved an initial design, the work was carried out by a team of craftsmen, among them Michael Perkhin, Henrik Wigstrom and Erik August Kollin.[citation needed] After Alexander III's death on 1 November 1894, his son, Nicholas II, presented a Faberge egg to both his wife, Alexandra Fedorovna, and his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna. Records have shown that of the 50 imperial Easter eggs, 20 were given to the former and 30 to the latter. Eggs were made each year except 1904 and 1905, during the Russo-Japanese War.[3] The imperial eggs enjoyed great fame, and Faberge was commissioned to make similar eggs for a few private clients, including the Duchess of Marlborough, the Rothschild family and the Yusupovs. Faberge was also commissioned to make twelve eggs for the industrialist Alexander Kelch, though only seven appear to have been completed.[1] Following the revolution and the nationalization of the Faberge workshop in St. Petersburg by the bolsheviks in 1918, the Faberge family left Russia. The Faberge trademark has since been sold several times and several companies have retailed egg-related merchandise using the Faberge name. The Victor Mayer jewelry company produced limited edition heirloom quality Faberge eggs authorized under Unilever's license from 1998 to 2009. The trademark is now owned by Faberge Limited, which makes egg-themed jewellery.[4] In 2015 the owners of this trademark announced the creation of a new "Faberge" egg, one styled by them as belonging to the "Imperial Class" of eggs and therefore the first Imperial-Class egg in 100 years: the Faberge Pearl egg is to be sold in Qatar following a five-day exhibition some time in 2017. A spokesperson for the brand said it expected the egg to fetch at least two million US dollars, possibly much more. Despite its designation as "Imperial", it has no connection to Imperial Russia and instead has become closely tied to wealthy Arab ruling families of various Gulf Nations.[5] Its motif has been described as "scalloped", but the patterns of its curves and lines are also clearly derived from the girih and arabesque of Islamic interlace patterns, and each of its six vertical segments includes a stylized pointed dome and associated pendentives reminiscent of the onion dome and ceiling of an Arabic mosque. The celebrated series of 50 Imperial Easter eggs was created for the Russian Imperial family from 1885 to 1916 when the company was run by Peter Carl Faberge. These creations are inextricably linked to the glory and tragic fate of the last Romanov family. They were the ultimate achievement of the renowned Russian jewelry house and must also be considered the last great commissions of objets dâart . Ten eggs were produced from 1885 to 1893, during the reign of Emperor Alexander III; 40 more were created during the rule of his dutiful son, Nicholas II, two each year, one for his mother, the dowager, the second for his wife. The series began in 1885 when Emperor Alexander III, through the intermediary of his uncle, Grand Duke Vladimir, commissioned an Easter egg from Faberge as an Easter present for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. Initially planned by Faberge to contain a diamond ring, the actual finished version, following specific instructions of the Emperor, included a ruby pendant of great value.

Creator:
Peter Carl Fabergé (Maker)
Dimensions:
Height: 5.5 in (13.97 cm)Diameter: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Enamel,Gold Plate
Place of Origin:
Russia
Period:
Early 20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1912
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Washington Crossing, PA
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU2381311964201