Easter is finally here and many families are preparing their Easter table, enjoying company, and participating in Easter egg hunts. You might ask: “What kind of egg could possibly cost $300 million?” Indeed, the title of the article sounds a bit farfetched, but we are going to open a secret for you how you can acquire a vast fortune this Easter. Ask any kid and they’ll tell you that their favorite part of celebrating Easter is the Easter egg hunt. The key to gaining this unfathomable wealth is finding the right egg. So, just what is the “right egg”? Here are some important criteria:
What is a Faberge Egg? Faberge eggs are legendary Easter presents that Russian nobility, including the Emperors would give to their wives and mothers as a symbol of Easter. Faberge eggs are unique works of art or jewelry that were made with silver, gold, pearls, diamonds, rubies, and other precious gemstones. The most famous ones were made for the Russian Czars Alexander III and Nicholas II. In total, there were 50 “Imperial Eggs” created for the Royal family, 7 of them are still considered lost. So this is your opportunity to participate in the $300 million egg hunt! (Here comes slideshow with pictures:) Why Are They Called “Faberge” Eggs? Faberge Easter Eggs get their name from their creator, Peter Carl Faberge, the most famous Russian jeweler. A descendant of French parents, he received a great education in Europe and had quickly became the most highly regarded goldsmith in all of the Russian Empire. His worldwide reputation, however, came to Peter Carl after the creation of his first Easter egg. In 1885 Carl Faberge had received an imperial order for creating an Easter present for the wife of Czar Alexander III. That Easter Egg was called the “Hen Egg”, and was the first egg in a series of 50 jeweled eggs created for the Russian Royal Family. When the emperor saw this present, he was so impressed by it that he immediately assigned Faberge the title of Goldsmith of the Imperial Crown. After the death of Alexander III, his son Nickolas II (the last Russian emperor) followed the tradition of presenting Easter Eggs to his wife and mother and expanded it by requesting two eggs each year, one for each of them. The tradition continued until the October Revolution of 1917. The “Surprise” of Faberge Eggs: All of the Faberge eggs, created for the Royal Family, contained a secret: each of the eggs consisted of a number of layers, each with a surprise inside. On the shell of the egg you could find a secret button or a tiny latch, which would open the shell and reveal the hidden surprise. The Hen Egg that was created by the order of Alexander III, for example, consists of a gold shell, covered with white enamel to represent a usual chicken egg. When you open the egg, you’ll find a round-shaped golden yolk, the yolk then opens to reveal a surprise: a tiny golden hen with ruby eyes. The hen also opens to reveal two more surprises: a tiny gold and diamond replica of the imperial crown and a ruby pendant. Other Faberge Eggs have various hidden surprises, such as: portraits of the members of the Royal family, tiny animals, and objects. Some of these objects include: a royal ship, the imperial carriage, a train, jewelry, clocks, bouquet made of gemstones and miniature paintings of places that were memorable for the Royal family. Where are the Easter Eggs today? During the October Revolution, the family of the last Russian Emperor was executed and all of their possessions and property was confiscated and nationalized, including 50 Faberge Easter Eggs. During the 1920s the Soviet government had sold an enormous number of legendary pieces of art to gain money for “building a new country” and to foster the modernization of industries. This lead to many Faberge eggs being auctioned off or sold behind closed doors, which resulted in 43 Easter Eggs leaving the territory of the country. In 2015 one of the missing eggs was found by accident and sold at auction for a cool $33 million! The owner of the egg discovered its value accidentally, right before starting the intended process of melting the precious “scrap metals” on the egg. Nine of the 50 Imperial Eggs are now in held in the Moscow Armory museum and nine are in St. Petersburg’s Faberge museum, all of the known remaining eggs were dispersed across the world and are held in museums and private collections. To this day, seven Faberge Eggs remain missing and the projected price of any one of the lost Faberge Eggs is valued at $300 million. Faberge museum in St. Petersburg The Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg is a truly unique place. It was opened only in 2013 by a famous Russian oligarch and businessman, Victor Vekselberg who not only acquired the eggs, but also reconstructed a 19th century palace to house the museum. This private museum holds one of the absolute best collections of art objects created by famous Russian artisans and jewelers, exceeding 4,000 pieces, including 9 Faberge eggs! The “crowning jewels” of the collection (no pun intended) are the following Faberge Eggs:
If, just like us, you are fascinated by these gorgeous legendary masterpieces, don’t hesitate to contact us to ask about a tour of the Faberge museum. We will be happy to accommodate all of your requests and share a piece of this rich and opulent history with you. Just follow this link and send us a message.
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AuthorHi there! My name is Mila, I have been working as a local guide for six years and I've decided to share with you essential information about St. Petersburg, life in Russia and Russian culture. I hope you will enjoy! Archives
January 2018
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