1885 The Hen Egg

Maria Feodorovna

This Imperial Easter egg begins a series of Imperial Easter eggs, produced by Faberge for the Russian Imperial family. According to traditionally, the first Imperial Easter egg made by Faberge is believed to have been inspired by a piece of jewelry created for Élisabeth Charlotte d’Orléans, Princess of Commercy in the 1720s, which subsequently passed into the possession of the Danish Royal family. A few years after his accession to the throne, Emperor Alexander III directed his brother Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich to commission from the jeweler Faberge a distinctive Easter present for his wife Maria Fedorovna. At the same time, Evgeny Faberge remarks in his correspondence that the idea of a jeweled Easter egg originated with his father Carl Faberge.

A letter from the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich to his brother Alexander III, preserved at the State Archive of the Russian Federation, contains a detailed account of the Easter present: “I am sending you, dear Sasha, the egg crafted, per your instructions, by the jeweler Faberge. In my opinion, the work is a complete success, and is even deserving of praise for its fine and intricate workmanship. In accordance with your wishes, the ring was replaced with a rather costly ruby pendant egg, the latter of impeccable quality. In the event that Minnie should wish to wear it separately, as a precious keepsake, as it fully deserves, a delicate chain is included in the case. I am also appending brief, but in all likelihood confusing instructions for the handling of this ingenious article for the extraction from its entrails of treasures concealed therein. First, twist the top half to the left to remove. Second, repeat the same for the yolk. Third, take the hen into your hands and press against its backside, while at the same time grasping the beak with your nails, lift up, whereupon the bird will open up. Fourth, the crown should be extracted foot first; then, grasping with four fingers both its halves bend these back. Consequently, a hoop of diamonds will remain at the center, with the aforementioned keepsake suspended from it. Fifth, to remove this keepsake, press the ring at its base, on the side where a small pin is attached. The ring comes apart, and the ruby treasure may then be removed. On the whole, this article, on account of its many disparate component parts, demands to be handled with utter delicacy.”

In the collection of the Faberge Museum, St. Petersburg.

https://fabergemuseum.ru/ru/collection/item/25