Russian Imperial Egg Box and Pendant

Description

The workshops run by Peter Carl Fabergé (Russian, 1846–1920) made extraordinary objects of fantasy and presentation pieces to give to heads of state, as well as finely crafted accessories for the Imperial family's private use. Among these "works of fantasy" is the sumptuous Basket of Flowers Egg (1901), now in the British Royal Collection, the source for our elaborately adorned egg-shaped box, which holds an elegant egg pendant. Both the box and the pendant are meticulously crafted in 22k gold overlay with hand-applied enamel and sparkling crystal.

22K gold overlay, hand enameled, made with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS. Box with hinged lid: 4 3/4"H x 2 1/2" diam. Pendant: 5/8"L. Chain: 16"L.

Art History

Peter Carl Fabergé (Russian, 1846–1920) has been called "the greatest craftsman in the age of craftsmen." A master jeweler, he had a superb knowledge of historical styles and periods, past and present, whether his source was the glory of ancient Greece or the lavish court of Louis XV. An object from the House of Fabergé is invariably a creation of uncommon opulence, making each work instantly recognizable and highly original. Fabergé was just 26 years old in 1872, when he took over his father’s jewelry store in St. Petersburg, Russia. With the help of his brother Agathon, he cultivated the patronage of the Romanov dynasty and the elite of Edwardian society. Fabergé’s studios produced a wide variety of objets d’art, including magnificent jewelry, clocks, enamel cigarette cases, boxes, and frames. In particular, he brought the art of exquisite guilloché enamel to new heights of technical excellence. His masterful work in gold, precious gems, lapidary carvings, and enamel made the House of Fabergé justly famous—with the ultimate achievement being the celebrated series of jeweled Easter eggs created for the last two czars of the Romanov dynasty.