1910 The Colonnade Egg

Alexandra Feodorovna

Purchase price 11,600 rubles.

Agafon Karlovich Faberge oversaw the production of Imperial Easter eggs in the years 1910 and 1911.

From an entry in the company’s account book, dated May 4: “Large Egg, a clock in the shape of a pavilion with columns of jadeite and enamel in the style of Louis XVI with 5 cupids, quatre-couleur garlands, clock dial of diamonds and enamel.”

A more detailed description, albeit one listing a different stone, is found in the recollections of Franz Birbaum. “Clock-egg of green, grape-colored serpentine and pink enamel. An enameled egg, girded by a horizontal, rotating dial with numbers laid out in small diamonds. The Egg is supported on four columns of serpentine, entwined with flower garlands of varicolored gold. The columns are set on a pedestal of the same stone. Gold figures of four little girls (the Emperor’s four daughters) are seated on the steps of the pedestal. A little boy (the Heir apparent) sits at the top of the Egg, pointing to the hour with a twig. The composition recalls a pavilion with a colonnade holding up the Egg; inside the pavilion is a pair of kissing turtledoves of white silver.”

In the Royal Collection, London, UK

https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/1/collection/40084/colonnade-egg