History of the Fabergé Easter eggs
JOBURG - The Fabergé jewelled Easter eggs, originally commissioned by the Russian Imperial family, are among some of the most lavish jewels in history.
Easter was considered a significant occasion on the Russian Orthodox calendar, and a tradition formed whereby the upper echelons of society would present bejewelled Easter gifts to the church to be blessed.
These gifts would then be given to family and friends.
In 1895, Tsar Alexander the Third commissioned the first jewelled Easter egg for his wife, the Empress Marie Fedorovna. The work was designated to famed jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé.
This imperial tradition continued and was equally advocated by Alexander’s successor, Tsar Nicholas the Second, who presented an egg annually to his wife the Empress Alexandra Fedorovna and to his mother the Dowager Empress Marie Fedorovna.
The House of Fabergé became famed for its luxurious creations, and supplied the Russian Imperial family with its jewelled eggs until 1917 when the Russian political landscape was taken over by the Bolshevik Revolution.
Each Imperial Fabergé egg contains a ‘surprise’ – a second jewelled art piece hidden within the egg.
The most expensive Easter egg in the imperial collection ever made was the 1913 Winter egg which was presented to Tsarina Maria Feodorovna.
The price of the 1913 Winter egg was 24 700 rubles at the time. The same egg was sold for US$9.6 million in an auction at Christie’s in New York City in 2002.
The Fabergé eggs are still considered among the most opulent Easter gifts ever created.
