Faberge Egg

November 12th, 2008 | Collectibles, Decorative Collectibles, Faberge Egg

Faberge Parapluie Egg Enamel Drop Earrings 18KT YG BN

US $7,560.00

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Huge Faberge Silver Enamel Egg with Ruby Stones

US $5,900.00

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Collectables -> Collectibles -> Decorative Collectibles

Almost everyone has heard some reference to a Faberge egg, though many people simply think it’s some sort of fancy, jeweled egg, without realizing the history behind it or its true value. Carl Faberge designed the first of these eggs in 1885, for the Russian Czar, Alexander III. Alexander wanted to give it to his wife as an Easter gift, and commissioned Faberge and his goldsmiths to create the egg. After that, a new egg was created almost yearly to be given to the Czar’s wife. His son even carried on the tradition, giving his wife and his mother, after Alexander’s death, a new creation each spring.

What made the first Faberge egg special wasn’t just that it was made from gold, but because once the egg was opened, a surprise was revealed. The first one held a golden yolk, which contained a golden hen, which contained a small crown with a ruby, in the tradition of Russian nesting dolls. After this, all the eggs made for the Czar had to contain a surprise. These eggs are known as the Imperial eggs, of which 44 still exist, and were the most extravagant ones created by Faberge and his craftsmen.

Faberge made more for private collections, but only 69 eggs in total were made, and as far as anyone knowns, only 61 still exist. These are museum pieces, commanding up to millions of dollars in value, with almost half them kept in Russia. The Faberge egg became little more than spoils of war in the 1920s, when Stalin has many sold. Until Carl Faberge died in 1920, not long after fleeing to Switzerland when the Bolsheviks seized power, the House of Faberge had created more than just eggs, but pieces that command millions of dollars at auction today.

The term Faberge egg is often used to describe any kind of whimsical, gilded or jeweled egg statue, often with a surprise inside the egg. While some of these may be beautiful, the reproductions of the actual Faberge eggs are the most sought out, and can command hundreds to thousands of dollars each, depending on the amount of gold used, and the original egg that it represents.

Of the eggs made by Faberge, the Imperial eggs are the ones most often created in reproduction, because they’re considered the most beautiful. The eggs that followed often mimicked those designs and were less original, so the Imperial collection is widely believed to be the most important. A reproduction Faberge egg makes a beautiful conversation piece, and allows us to appreciate the beauty and artistry that was created so long ago.

You can find a reproduction Imperial Faberge egg in a variety of places, though eBay and online sellers are easier to find than local stores that sell these gems. The most affordable versions are the miniature reproductions, which capture the colors and style of the original eggs in a smaller size. These allow you to collect several of the eggs and display them together in a relatively small space.

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