The Russian imperial treasure known as the ‘Fabergé Egg’ was auctioned at Christie’s in London for 22.9 million pounds (about 44.4 billion South Korean won), significantly surpassing the previous record price.
As reported by Christie’s on the 2nd, the ‘Winter Egg,’ a notable Fabergé Egg, was purchased by an unknown buyer at this amount.
The Imperial Easter eggs created by the Russian jewelry company ‘Fabergé House,’ headed by Peter Carl Fabergé, were first introduced in 1885. Emperor Alexander III commissioned one as an Easter present for his wife, Maria Feodorovna, and his son, Nicholas II, carried on this tradition by annually ordering Easter eggs for his mother and wife. A total of 50 items were produced for the Russian royal family between 1885 and 1916, with only seven currently owned by private collectors. The remaining eggs are either lost or kept in museums and other institutions.
The Winter Egg, which was sold in this auction, was presented as a gift to the retired empress Maria Feodorovna in 1913. It is believed to have been created by Alma Theresia Phil, a female craftsman employed at Fabergé House, who drew inspiration from ice formations on a windowpane. The piece was made by carving rock crystal, with frost-like designs etched inside. The outer surface features snowflake patterns made from platinum and diamonds. A rock crystal base that looks like melting ice is also part of its design. The egg is 10.2 cm in size, and when including the stand, it stands at 14.2 cm tall.
Unveiling the Winter Egg unveils a ‘surprise gift’ – a floral basket representing spring. This basket, roughly 8.2 cm tall, is also precisely made. Every petal and stamen is separately carved from quartz and gold. The floral designs are finely depicted, varying from fully opened to partially blooming stages. Interestingly, the basket’s surface is richly adorned with rose-cut diamonds.
Christie’s refers to the Winter Egg as one of the most luxurious pieces in the Fabergé Egg collection. Margo Oganesyan, head of Christie’s Russian art division, said, ‘The current outcome not only establishes a new global record for Fabergé items at auction but also highlights the lasting importance of this masterpiece.’ She further mentioned, ‘It demonstrates the uniqueness and quality of this artwork, which is highly considered among Fabergé’s greatest achievements in both technical and artistic aspects.’
The highest previous sale price of a Fabergé Egg was the ‘Rothschild Egg,’ which was sold in 2007 for 8.9 million pounds (around 17.3 billion South Korean won). It is recognized that Fabergé Eggs were created not only for the Russian imperial family but also for the famous banking family, the Rothschilds.
