Historical Treasures
The 15th anniversary Fabergé Egg
The decadent bejewelled and enamelled eggs created by Peter Carl Fabergé are synonymous with the Romanov dynasty. They were originally produced for Tsar Alexander III as an Easter egg for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, in 1885.
The Empress was so overjoyed with her present that Alexander appointed Fabergé the ‘Supplier to the Court of His Imperial Majesty’ and subsequently commissioned a new one for Maria every year until his sudden death in 1894. Their son, Tsar Nicholas II, continued this Easter tradition, ordering eggs for both his mother and his beloved Empress, Alexandra Feodorovna.
At least 50 Fabergé eggs were made for the Romanovs, but sadly only 43 of them managed to survive the Revolution. This egg is known as the 15th Anniversary Egg, given to Alexandra by Nicholas in 1911. It was created to celebrate Nicholas’ fifteen years on the Russian throne following his coronation in 1896.
The egg is made from gold, green, white and opalescent enamel, and accentuated with diamonds and rock crystal. Separated into eighteen panels in three tiers, the egg is decorated with sixteen watercolour miniatures painted by Vasilii Zuev. These miniatures include individual portraits of the Tsar, Alexandra, their son and heir Tsarevich Alexei and their four daughters, the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatianna, Maria and Anastasia, all framed with diamonds.
Aside from the portraits, there are also numerous watercolour scenes designed to reflect on the important moments of Nicholas’ reign, including his coronation, the unveiling of the statue of Peter the Great in Riga, the opening of the Alexander III Bridge in Paris, and the reception for the members of the first State Duma at the Winter Palace.
Unfortunately, as beautiful as the
Fabergé eggs are, they also represent the extravagance that was associated with the Romanovs and resented by their opponents, which precipitated their downfall. It is unknown how this egg ended up in the west, but it was purchased by American entrepreneur Malcolm Forbes in
1966 and later bought by Russian businessman Viktor Vekselberg.
Today, the 15th Anniversary Egg is held at the Fabergé Museum at
Shuvalov Palace in St Petersburg.