Luxury, brilliance and splendor - these are the words that can accompany the conversation about Faberge eggs. An amazing collection created by eminent jewelers for the imperial court is known worldwide today. The history of Faberge eggs, dating back over 100 years, is shrouded in mystery and contains many facts, secrets and mysteries.
Who is Faberge?
Karl Faberge was born in 1846 in St. Petersburg. At a young age, he moved with his family to Germany, where he found his calling. He received jewelry lessons from the most famous masters of Germany, England and France. At the age of 26, Faberge returned to his homeland, where he married and began working in a family-owned jewelry company. At that time, his company was engaged in the restoration of various exhibits from the Hermitage. Karl decided to expand the activities of his company and decided to make original jewelry. In 1882, he made cufflinks on the order of Alexander III, and after another three years - the first egg, which made him famous all over the world. In 1918, fearing arrest, the master fled from Russia, first to Riga, and then to Germany. The great jeweler could not recover from the shocks that he had to endure, and in 1920 he died of heart disease.
How did the famous collection come about?
The Faberge egg collection began with the creation of the first model in 1885. In those days, it was customary to present expensive presentations on the day of Christ's resurrection. And, of course, the rulers of the Russian Empire made royal presents for their spouses. The first work ordered was Alexander III as a gift for Easter to his wife Maria Fyodorovna. The performer of the work was Karl Faberge, the then-famous St. Petersburg jeweler of German origin. The charming egg with a yolk of gold, inside of which a chicken with a ruby crown was hidden, pleased the empress, and Faberge was left at court as a court jeweler. Since then, every year the master made a new egg with a surprise. After the death of Alexander III, the tradition of Easter gifts was preserved, and until 1917, Nicholas II gave Faberge eggs every spring to his wife and mother. Until today, many such items have been preserved in the treasuries of various private collections and museum funds. According to various documentary sources, a total of 71 copies of these original relics were made. Of these, 52 are for members of the imperial family. However, how many of them actually remain a mystery. The fact is that the work made by order of the emperor was included in official documents. Products made for private collections were kept unprotected. Therefore, many of the author's works for a long time remained unknown. A similar story is associated with the "Rothschild Egg", stored for more than 100 years among the family property of customers. The whole world learned about the new work of the famous master only in 2007, when it was put up for sale.
Where are the rarities today?
Of the 71 models, only 62 have survived to this day. The rest of the work, known from old photographs, is considered lost. Most of the famous eggs are stored in state museums in various countries of the world: USA, Monaco, Switzerland. After the execution of the imperial family, many of Faberge's works were resold and ended up in private collections. For the years of his life, the American billionaire Forbes managed to redeem the largest number of jewelry works. Later, in 2004, the Russian Vekselberg acquired a collection of eggs collected by the tycoon. Today, Faberge eggs in Russia can be seen in Moscow, in the Kremlin Armory. Here you can find not only the Easter gifts of the emperor, but also other products created by Faberge: jewelry, watches, cigarette cases and a variety of miniature figures. Also waiting for you with an exhibition of works by the famous master in St. Petersburg, the Shuvalovsky Palace. The Faberge eggs presented here are part of Mr. Vekselberg's private collection. A series of famous eggs bought from Forbes is annually replenished by the oligarch.
The most famous products
The works of the famous master are stored in museums in various countries, as well as with private individuals. Collectors all over the world are watching auctions at which the works of a popular jeweler are exhibited, and treasure hunters dream of finding lost imperial jewelry. Let's see what works of Faberge are considered the most famous today.
"Hen"
An egg made of gold with an original surprise - a hen and a ruby crown - was ordered by Alexander III as a gift for Easter to the Queen in 1885. Faberge created a copy of the model, which Maria Fedorovna herself saw, while still at an early age. The Danish egg was made of ivory, and as a surprise, it had a ring inside. In memory of these childhood memories, a new work was done. The unique Faberge chicken figurine has a complex mechanism, which allows access to surprises hidden inside the product. The first is a miniature imperial crown, and the second is a chain with a pendant. To date, the second surprise is considered lost. After the death of the imperial family, the egg roamed throughout France, Germany, and America. Today, the work of the famous master is in the collection of Vekselberg, purchased by him from Forbes. Thus, a unique rarity returned to their homeland.
"Egg with a rose bud"
Another work of the eminent master. It was made in a style unusual for that time - neoclassicism. A rose bud is hidden inside the egg . The work was carried out by Faberge by order of Nicholas II for his wife, Alexandra Fedorovna, a native of the city of Darmstadt. Her hometown was famous for the wonderful rose garden that the young empress missed. In good memory of the images close to the heart, the original Easter gift was conceived. A miniature crown and a ruby pendant were hidden in the petals of the bud. Both surprises are considered lost. The egg, along with the rest of the Forbes collection, was bought by Vekselberg for almost $ 100 million.
"Lilies of the valley"
The egg, made in the Art Nouveau style of pink enamel, on a gold stand, with lilies of the valley from pearls and gold, was presented to Empress Alexandra Fedorovna in 1898 as an Easter present. Like all the works of the popular master, it has its own original surprise. When you click on the pearls from the egg, medallions with the image of Nicholas II and his sisters appear: Princess Olga and Princess Tatiana. The emperor’s medallion is crowned with a ruby and diamonds crown. An egg that fell into the Forbes collection was also bought by Victor Vekselberg. Today, "lilies of the valley" and other Faberge eggs, the exhibition of which is organized by the oligarch, can be watched by anyone in St. Petersburg.
"Moscow Kremlin"
The largest of Faberge eggs. It was commissioned by Nicholas II as a gift to his wife in 1906. The Easter figure is covered with white enamel at the bottom and decorated with a golden dome on top. The stand is made in the form of the Spasskaya Tower of the Kremlin, and through the windows you can see the interior of the cathedral. Egg surprise is a gold music box that plays Easter tunes. This music really liked the emperor himself. The Moscow Kremlin is one of several works by the great master who never left Russia. Today, a masterpiece can be seen in the Kremlin Armory.
"Alexander Palace"
A jade egg decorated with gold, precious stones, as well as miniature portraits of the children of Nicholas II, was presented to the emperor's wife in 1908. Over each portrait with diamonds are placed capital letters of the names of the princes. Surprise gift - a miniature model of the Alexander Palace, the country residence of Nicholas II. The palace, made of gold, silver and rock crystal, is mounted on a golden table. Today, the work is stored in the Armory of the Kremlin.
How much does a Faberge egg cost?
The works of the famous master are constantly becoming more expensive. Over the more than 100-year history of jewelry masterpieces, their price has "jumped" an average of 1,000 to 3,000 times. For example, from documentary sources it is known that the “Rothschild egg” in 1902 was estimated at 6500 rubles. After 106 years, in 2008, it was bought for $ 12 million. The most expensive today is the Coronation Egg. Made of gold and diamonds, with a surprise in the form of a miniature imperial carriage, it was made for the wife of Nicholas II in 1896. Then its cost was 6700 rubles. In 2004, the egg was sold to Vekselberg for $ 24 million. The Russian oligarch bought Forbes and other Faberge eggs from the Forbes family, the price of which totaled $ 100 million.
How much do copies of Faberge eggs cost?
There are many crafts of the famous company. Some of them are made by talented craftsmen. However, only the Faberge brand name increases the market value of the product. In 1990, an exhibition of fake jewelry by the author was even organized in New York. One of these copies, the Kelch Hen egg, was acquired by Malcolm Forbes. Only after many years, researchers were able to prove the true authorship of the work. Today, copies of the works of the famous master can be purchased in many online stores. Visually, such models exactly repeat the work of Faberge. Eggs, photos of which are presented here, in this case, you can buy much cheaper. The cost of copies of Kurochka, Lilies of the Valley or the Moscow Kremlin, depending on the material and complexity of the work, ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 rubles. An interesting fact is that in 2008 it was decided to restore the Faberge company and begin production of new collections of famous eggs. At the moment, new products under the famous brand produces a talented French master Frederic Zaavi. Today, Faberge eggs are examples of high art and are valued by collectors around the world.