Fabergé egg

A Fabergé egg is a highly decorative, jeweled object.

These items were first created by the House of Fabergé. This jewelry firm was located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Today, these eggs are viewed as symbols of opulence, or great wealth. They are extremely valuable to collectors around the world. For instance, the Fabergé Winter Egg sold for US $30.2 million at auction in 2025.

The creation of these eggs involved a complex, collaborative process. First, a design was created and approved. Then, a team of expert craftsmen executed the work. These artisans included Michael Perkhin, Henrik Wigström, and Erik August Kollin. They used precious materials like gold, diamonds, and enamel. Many eggs also featured a "surprise."

This was a hidden object tucked inside the egg shell. For example, the 1892 Diamond Trellis Egg contained an elephant automaton. This was a mechanical toy that could move.

There were different categories of these eggs. The most famous were the Imperial Easter eggs. These were commissioned specifically for the Russian royal family. Alexander III ordered 10 eggs for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. His son, Nicholas II, ordered 40 more eggs. He gave 20 to his wife, Alexandra Feodorovna, and 30 to his mother.

There were also eggs made for private clients. The Rothschild family and the Duchess of Marlborough were among these patrons. Some clients, like the industrialist Alexander Kelch, commissioned many eggs. However, only seven of his twelve eggs appear to have been completed.

The history of the Fabergé egg began in the mid-1800s. Gustav Fabergé founded the House of Fabergé in 1842. His son, Peter Carl Fabergé, later added the jeweled eggs to the product line. The tradition of giving jeweled eggs to the Empress started before 1885. In 1883, Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna received eggs that contained a silver dagger and two skulls.

In 1885, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich suggested a new jeweled egg design. This led to the creation of the first official Hen Egg. It was delivered on May 1, 1885, and cost 4,151 rubles.

Many specific eggs have unique stories and designs. The 1885 Hen Egg was inspired by an 18th-century ivory hen egg. That older egg featured a golden "yolk" and a miniature hen.

The 1913 Winter Egg was designed by Alma Pihl. She was the only female workmaster mentioned in the records. This egg was made of quartz, platinum, and orthoclase. It was decorated with 1,660 diamonds. The surprise inside was a flower basket with 1,378 diamonds.

Tracking the survival of these eggs is a significant task. During the Czarist era, as many as 69 eggs were created. Of these, 61 are known to have survived. Out of the 50 Imperial Easter eggs, 44 are known to exist in complete or partial forms.

Some eggs have been lost to history. For example, the Cherub with Chariot egg from 1888 is considered lost. However, the Third Imperial Easter Egg was rediscovered. It had been found at an American flea market. A dealer eventually confirmed its identity in 2012.

The legacy of Fabergé connects to history and modern commerce. The Russian Revolution of 1917 changed everything. In 1918, the Bolsheviks nationalized the Fabergé workshop. This caused the Fabergé family to leave Russia. The trademark has since been sold to various companies. From 1998 to 2009, the Victor Mayer company made limited-edition eggs. Today, the trademark is owned by Fabergé Limited. In 2023, a new egg called Journey in Jewels debuted on a luxury cruise ship. This was the first Fabergé egg to live at sea.