A Rare and Breathtaking Fabergé Egg is Set to Break Records at Christie's Auction House
For the first time in decades, a rare and exquisite crystal Fabergé egg crafted for Russia's royal family will be put up for auction at Christie's London headquarters on Tuesday. Valued at over 20 million pounds ($26.4 million), this stunning piece is one of only seven remaining opulent ovoids in private hands.
Measuring just 4 inches tall, the Winter Egg is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and design, featuring finely carved rock crystal adorned with delicate platinum snowflakes and over 4,500 tiny diamonds. When opened, it reveals a beautiful basket of bejewelled quartz flowers symbolizing spring.
According to Margo Oganesian, head of Christie's Russian art department, the Winter Egg is reminiscent of a luxurious Kinder Surprise chocolate. She aptly describes it as "the Mona Lisa" for decorative arts, highlighting its exceptional beauty and craftsmanship.
Commissioned by Czar Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in 1913, this unique egg was designed by Alma Pihl, one of only two female designers to create Fabergé eggs. The other example is owned by the British royal family.
The Romanov royal family's legacy is marked by a tradition of exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail, as exemplified by these remarkable eggs. Peter Carl Fabergé and his company created over 50 of these eggs between 1885 and 1917, each with its own unique character and hidden surprise.
After being bought by a London dealer for £450 in the 1920s, the egg changed hands several times before being lost for two decades. It resurfaced at Christie's in 1994, where it sold for over 7 million Swiss francs ($5.6 million). Since then, it has fetched high prices at auctions, including a record-breaking $18.5 million at a 2007 Christie's auction.
This upcoming sale is expected to surpass previous records and solidify the Winter Egg's place as one of the most valuable and sought-after Fabergé eggs in history.
For the first time in decades, a rare and exquisite crystal Fabergé egg crafted for Russia's royal family will be put up for auction at Christie's London headquarters on Tuesday. Valued at over 20 million pounds ($26.4 million), this stunning piece is one of only seven remaining opulent ovoids in private hands.
Measuring just 4 inches tall, the Winter Egg is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and design, featuring finely carved rock crystal adorned with delicate platinum snowflakes and over 4,500 tiny diamonds. When opened, it reveals a beautiful basket of bejewelled quartz flowers symbolizing spring.
According to Margo Oganesian, head of Christie's Russian art department, the Winter Egg is reminiscent of a luxurious Kinder Surprise chocolate. She aptly describes it as "the Mona Lisa" for decorative arts, highlighting its exceptional beauty and craftsmanship.
Commissioned by Czar Nicholas II as an Easter gift for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in 1913, this unique egg was designed by Alma Pihl, one of only two female designers to create Fabergé eggs. The other example is owned by the British royal family.
The Romanov royal family's legacy is marked by a tradition of exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail, as exemplified by these remarkable eggs. Peter Carl Fabergé and his company created over 50 of these eggs between 1885 and 1917, each with its own unique character and hidden surprise.
After being bought by a London dealer for £450 in the 1920s, the egg changed hands several times before being lost for two decades. It resurfaced at Christie's in 1994, where it sold for over 7 million Swiss francs ($5.6 million). Since then, it has fetched high prices at auctions, including a record-breaking $18.5 million at a 2007 Christie's auction.
This upcoming sale is expected to surpass previous records and solidify the Winter Egg's place as one of the most valuable and sought-after Fabergé eggs in history.
! i mean, it's like a work of art or something... 20 mil pounds is crazy 
but honestly who can put a price on that level of craftsmanship? 
the fact that it was hidden inside with tiny flowers and diamonds is just wow 
what's even crazier is that there are only seven remaining ones in private hands so this auction is gonna be HUGE 
i'm definitely keeping an eye on this one, fingers crossed it breaks all records 
That's insane! I don't get why people need to spend so much money on something that's just an egg 
20 million pounds is like, a crazy amount for something that's just gonna sit on some rich dude's shelf. I mean, have you seen the rest of Christie's collection? It's all so over-the-top and flashy... where's the substance? The art world is just so full of itself sometimes, thinking they're above everyone else just because they've got a fancy egg or two.
i mean, 20 mil pounds?!?! that's insane 
i mean, its basically a fancy chocolate egg (lol margo oganesian said that lol) but for real tho, this egg is like the mona lisa of faberge eggs 
cant wait to see it go under the hammer 
. I wish more people would appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into creating these masterpieces 
. i wonder if they'll be able to find a buyer who loves it as much as the original owner did back in 1913 
. anyway, can't wait to see how much it sells for at Christie's 
. i love how the designer, alma pihl, was a female artist - she's like a pioneer or something! 
and can you believe it's been lost for two decades only to resurface again? so much history behind this egg! 
It's like something straight out of a fairy tale. I've heard the Romanov royal family were all about craftsmanship, so it's no surprise this egg is so precious. Fingers crossed it breaks all the records and becomes one of the most valuable Fabergé eggs ever! 
. The fact that there's only seven left in private hands makes me super nervous - what if someone buys all of them?! 