Exquisite Romanov Eggs

The Story of the Romanov Eggs.

In 1885, Tsar Alexander III of Russia picked the perfect Easter gift for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna: a bespoke egg commissioned from Peter Carl Faberge, a master goldsmith of the jewelry company House of Faberge. The Hen Egg was a simple white enamel egg that twisted apart to reveal a golden yolk, the yolk opened to show a golden hen. The hen had a diamond crown and a ruby pendant. The materials cost a small fortune, but the amazing appeal and artistry were priceless, the Empress was delighted! Each egg commissioned from that point on had a surprise that ranged from palaces to flowers, miniature portraits of children to boats!

This one fabulous gift of a Faberge egg started a gilded age tradition in the Imperial House of the Romanovs. Each year Alexander III gave a royal order to the House of Faberge to make a festive and opulent egg for the Russian Empress every Easter.

In 1894, the year before his death Alexander III gave his wife Empress Marie (known as Minny) the Renaissance Egg. This gorgeous egg was inspired by an oval agate casket by Le Roy in Dresden’s Green Vault. The cloudy agate is covered with applied white enamel gold trellis work that is artfully embellished by diamonds.

The son of Alexander III, Nicholas II, continued the tradition, giving one egg to his mother and one to his wife Alexandra every year, each more elaborate than the last. The Rosebud Egg, carefully created in 1895 was given to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, a few months after their marriage. It is crafted from multi-colored gold, decorated with bands of rose-cut diamonds and covered with translucent red enamel. The surprise is a miniature portrait of the Tsar.

One of our favorites is the Coronation Egg created as a memento of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s entry into Moscow on the day of their coronation on May 26, 1897. The egg recalls the heavy cloth of gold robes worn by the Empress during the ceremony. The egg opens to reveal a diamond set golden miniature replica of the royal carriage that she rode in.

The Lily of the Valley Egg that was presented by Emperor Nicolas II to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in 1898 is iconic of the House of Faberge. It is embellished with pearls and diamonds set in enameled Lilies of the Valley, her favorite flower. The surprise here is the three miniatures including the Tsar and their two their daughters, Olga and Tatiana. This trio is surmounted by a diamond and ruby set Imperial Crown.

This Faberge Egg represents the Standart, the Imperial Russian yacht, the largest in the world in its’ time and where the Imperial Family had fun. And, yes, they adored cruising! To see rare film footage of this click here.