1909 The “Standard” Egg
Alexandra Feodorovna
Purchase price 12,400 rubles.
In 1909 Faberge produced an egg with a replica of the yacht “Standard.” This Easter masterpiece immortalized the beloved yacht of the last Russian monarch, who referred to it as his “dear Standard.” Originally commissioned by the Emperor Alexander III, the yacht launched from the building berth of the Danish shipbuilder Burmeister and Wain on February 26, 1894. The Standard, one hundred and sixteen meters in length, was the largest ship ever built in all of Scandinavia, and ultimately cost the Russian Treasury nearly four million rubles. Its living quarters for the Imperial Family, meeting rooms for official visits and cabins for a sprawling cadre of staff and crew numbering over three hundred persons were decorated in exotic woods, bronze and silver. The majestic black vessel with gold ornaments on the bow and stern, was dubbed “the floating palace.” Over the years, this yacht carried the Imperial family through all the European waterways on short trips and long journeys.
The Easter Egg, presented by Nicholas II to Alexandra Fedorovna in 1909, was a reminder of the happy days spent aboard the Standard. A miniature copy of the beloved yacht cleaves the crystal waters. The standard of the Imperial Navy with a black two-headed eagle flutters from one of the delicate golden masts. The exterior and rigging of the vessel are faithfully reproduced down to the smallest detail, including a spinning gold wheel, the ship’s gangways and tiny platinum lifeboats. The guns and an anchor on thin golden chains are mobile. The replica of the yacht was created by August Holmstrom, Faberge’s leading jeweler, while the egg-shell with a hinged lid was made in the workshop of Henrik Wigstrom. The décor of the Egg was in the ancient Renaissance style. The combination of rock crystal, lapis lazuli and wafer-thin decorated enamel creates a composition of rare beauty. The stand, in lapis lazuli, takes the form of two entwined dolphins, their tails gently supporting the Egg with the “floating yacht.”
After the Revolution and the demise of the Imperial family, the yacht served as a mine sweeper (trawler) and a training vessel. At first it was renamed after one of the revolutionary heroes, and later rechristened Oka. The Emperor’s beloved yacht, which survived its most august owners, an accident, wars and the Revolution, was forever captured in one of the most inspired creations of Russian lapidary art.
In the collection of the Kremlin Armory Museum, Moscow, RF.