32:
328:, to Forbes Magazine Collection in 1978. Viktor Vekselberg purchased the First Hen Egg along with eight other imperial eggs from Forbes, together with the entire Forbes Fabergé collection, before they were to be auctioned. Vekselberg then returned the eggs to Russia where they are now on display in the
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in 1885. The tsarina enjoyed the egg so much that
Alexander III quickly placed a standing order with Fabergé to create a new egg for his wife every Easter thereafter, requiring only that each egg be unique and that it contain some kind of "surprise" within it. This particular egg is now a part of the
262:
ordered Peter Fabergé to create an Easter surprise for the
Tsarina. Correspondence between the Tsar and his brother dated March 21, 1885 indicates the Grand Duke relayed the Tsar's desires and instructions for the gift to Fabergé rather than the Tsar himself supervising the crafting of the egg. Amid
275:
instead of gold, has a ring instead of a pendant inside, and dates to the 18th century. Fabergé undoubtedly chose the design because the
Tsarina would have recognized the design from her youth. The design delighted both the Tsar and Tsarina so much the Alexander III ordered one for the next Easter
193:
While Fabergé was the owner of his workshop and while all of the eggs produced there are considered "Fabergé eggs", Fabergé himself is not known to have ever participated in the actual construction of any of them, even the first. The crafting of the first
Imperial egg is instead attributed to
222:. This yolk itself opens to reveal a varicolored gold hen set with ruby eyes. The hen is hinged on the tail feathers which allows it to also open up to reveal still two further surprises, a gold and diamond replica of the imperial crown and a tiny ruby
263:
terrorist attempts on the
Imperial family's lives, the Tsar wanted to give his wife something that would take her mind off worries for the Easter of 1885. Fabergé created an egg inspired by one the Tsarina knew from her childhood as a princess of
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The egg opens to reveal a gold yolk. Inside the yolk is a gold hen which opened to reveal a diamond and gold crown which contained a ruby pendant. The crown and pendant are now missing.
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and granted Fabergé "permission...to bear the title
Supplier to the Imperial Court with the right to bear the State Coat of Arms in his shop's sign".
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292:. At that time the revolutionaries seized the First Hen Egg along with most of the other imperial eggs and sent it to the Armory Palace of the
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in 1955, and the egg formed part of the
Grantchester estate when both Lord and Lady Taylor died within months of one another in 1976.
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to look like a real egg. A thin band of gold where the two halves of the shell are joined is visible around the middle of the egg.
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dealer named either Derek or
Frederick Berry purchased the egg from Russian officials around 1920, probably in either
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The
Tsarina was impressed and delighted by the Easter gift from her husband. The egg was kept in the
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which opens when twisted to reveal the egg's "surprise", a round "yolk" of gold with a
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Faberge's Eggs: The
Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire
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Fabergé's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire
247:
as the most important day of the year. Following a strict fast throughout all of
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of New York acquired the egg from the estate and sold it, together with the
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sold the egg as lot 55 of the Berry Collection for £85 ($ 430) to Mr
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that was suspended within it on a chain, both of which are now lost.
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258:. To celebrate this holiday, Tsar Alexander III's brother, the
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for the Russian Imperial family. It was delivered to Tsar
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Carl Faberge: Goldsmith to the Imperial Court of Russia
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The two halves of the outer shell fit together in a
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353:. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 17.
349:Lowes, Will; McCanless, Christel Ludewig (2001).
491:; Prinz von Hohenzollern, Johann Georg (1990).
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556:Archived copy of The 'Hen' Egg, Chapter 1 of
8:
397:. New York, New York: Random House. p.
1215:Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
591:
577:
569:
510:Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia
183:Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
80:Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
351:Fabergé Eggs A Retrospective Encyclopedia
645:also known as Angel with Egg in Chariot
341:
444:
442:
372:
370:
267:'s royal court. The egg, still in the
18:
910:also known as Grisaille or Pink Cameo
695:also known as Alexander III Portraits
280:History after presentation to Tsarina
251:, Easter was a day of celebration of
198:of Fabergé's workshop. It is made of
7:
630:also known as Egg with Hen in Basket
202:completely coated with opaque white
705:also known as Revolving Miniatures
330:Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
14:
921:Red Cross with Imperial Portraits
448:
433:
421:
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260:Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich
810:also known as Uspenski Cathedral
740:also known as Madonna Lily Clock
30:
1:
800:also known as Danish Jubilee
558:Treasures of Imperial Russia
181:permanent collection of the
142:35 millimetres (1.4 in)
134:64 millimetres (2.5 in)
851:Alexander III Commemorative
830:also known as Love Trophies
241:Russian Orthodox Christians
1231:
1041:also known as Pink Serpent
765:also known as Cuckoo Clock
750:also known as Spinach Jade
493:FABERGE; The Imperial Eggs
875:also known as Orange Tree
626:Hen with Sapphire Pendant
620:also known as Jeweled Hen
316:in 1934. Taylor was made
72:Individual or institution
29:
16:1885 Imperial Fabergé egg
1129:August Wilhelm Holmström
981:also known as Jade Chest
861:Alexander III Equestrian
916:Red Cross with Triptych
736:Bouquet of Lilies Clock
269:Royal Danish Collection
235:Egg ordered by the Tsar
1081:also known as Quisling
1037:Duchess of Marlborough
756:Trans-Siberian Railway
176:and given to his wife
1205:Imperial Fabergé eggs
866:Fifteenth Anniversary
730:also known as Dowager
314:Alfred Suenson-Taylor
239:In the 19th century,
216:bayonet-style fitting
891:Romanov Tercentenary
826:Cradle with Garlands
721:Lilies-of-the-Valley
607:Imperial Easter eggs
508:Lowes, Will (2001).
465:Faber, Toby (2008).
389:Faber, Toby (2008).
310:Christie's of London
94:Design and materials
1121:Fabergé workmasters
1013:Blue Striped Enamel
931:Order of St. George
906:Catherine the Great
711:Imperial Coronation
641:Cherub with Chariot
512:. Scarecrow Press.
489:Forbes, Christopher
322:A La Vieille Russie
164:egg is an Imperial
86:Year of acquisition
1183:(Saint Petersburg)
1165:Peter Carl Fabergé
1006:Other Fabergé eggs
686:Blue Serpent Clock
564:Mieks Fabergé Eggs
528:Snowman, A Kenneth
170:Peter Carl Fabergé
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1189:
771:Basket of Flowers
480:978-1-4000-6550-9
408:978-1-4000-6550-9
318:Lord Grantchester
154:
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76:Viktor Vekselberg
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1170:House of Fabergé
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1057:Nobel's Ice Egg
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836:Alexander Palace
691:Twelve Monograms
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473:. Random House.
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290:1917 revolutions
178:Maria Feodorovna
123:, ruby pendant,
61:Maria Feodorovna
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117:vitreous enamel
115:, opaque white
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550:External links
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67:Current owner
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51:Alexander III
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28:
25:
20:
1192:
1149:Victor Mayer
1077:Scandinavian
1062:Resurrection
1052:Lapis Lazuli
967:Twelve Panel
821:Rose Trellis
796:Royal Danish
701:Rock Crystal
615:
600:Fabergé eggs
557:
534:. Gramercy.
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509:
492:
468:
436:pg.15-16, 18
429:
417:
392:
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350:
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256:resurrection
238:
220:matte finish
213:
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161:
157:
155:
1107: [
1095: [
1067:Rose Quartz
1028: [
1016: [
997:Chanticleer
992:Bonbonnière
955:(1898–1904)
781:Clover Leaf
676:Renaissance
609:(1885–1917)
495:. Prestel.
196:Erik Kollin
166:Fabergé egg
162:Jeweled Hen
103:Erik Kollin
24:Fabergé egg
1210:1885 works
1199:Categories
1104:Youssoupov
1072:Rothschild
886:Napoleonic
651:Nécessaire
501:B000YA9GOM
449:Lowes 2001
434:Faber 2008
422:Faber 2008
377:Lowes 2001
288:until the
249:Great Lent
99:Workmaster
22:First Hen
1139:Alma Pihl
972:Pine Cone
881:Tsarevich
856:Colonnade
616:First Hen
424:pg. 14-15
158:First Hen
57:Recipient
1092:Twilight
987:Rocaille
871:Bay Tree
761:Cockerel
671:Caucasus
530:(1988).
253:Christ's
210:Surprise
147:Surprise
125:diamonds
47:Customer
1158:Related
841:Peacock
726:Pelican
681:Rosebud
459:Sources
294:Kremlin
265:Denmark
230:History
224:pendant
160:egg or
901:Mosaic
896:Winter
538:
516:
499:
477:
451:pg. 19
405:
379:pg. 18
357:
302:Berlin
298:London
245:Easter
204:enamel
189:Design
131:Height
121:rubies
1111:]
1099:]
1032:]
1025:Clock
1020:]
951:Kelch
746:Pansy
716:Mauve
336:Notes
306:Paris
273:ivory
243:held
139:Width
953:eggs
816:Swan
536:ISBN
514:ISBN
497:ASIN
475:ISBN
403:ISBN
355:ISBN
296:. A
200:gold
156:The
113:Gold
89:2004
42:1885
962:Hen
304:or
1201::
1109:ru
1097:ru
1030:hy
1018:ru
441:^
401:.
369:^
332:.
308:.
185:.
119:,
592:e
585:t
578:v
544:.
522:.
503:.
483:.
411:.
399:3
363:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
