1914 The Mosaic Egg

Alexandra Feodorovna

Purchase price 28,300 rubles — the most expensive of the Imperial Easter eggs produced by Faberge.

The “Mosaic” Egg for Alexandra Fedorovna was the most expensive Imperial Easter egg, costing the Emperor 28,300 rubles. The work on the two Imperial Easter eggs produced in that year was overseen by Ivan Antoni.

From an entry in Faberge account book: “Large Egg of openwork platinum, representing a tapestry of 7 medallions and border fields, made to resemble brightly-colored embroidery, comprising 5,300 stones (1 moonstone, 329 brilliant diamonds, 775 rose-cut diamonds, 682 pearls and 3,514 emeralds, rubies, sapphires, chrysolites, topazes, amethysts and almandines). Beneath the moonstone is the monogram of Her Majesty Alexandra Fedorovna, and the year 1914. Inside the Egg is an oval frame on a gold stand, made of enamel leaves with 18 pearls, 2 brilliant diamonds, 692 rose-cut diamonds and 213 chrysolites, and topped with an Imperial crown. Five miniature portraits of Their Imperial Highnesses are painted ‘en grisaille’ over a pink ground on one side of the frame; on the other side is a decoration in the style of Louis XVI painted on ivory with the names of Their Highnesses under a rock crystal. 

The Egg bears an engraved maker’s mark G.FABERGE, i.e. Gustav Faberge. Evidently, Carl Faberge thus wished to honor the centenary of his father’s birth.

In 1927 the State Repository Commission valued the Egg at 30,096 rubles. In 1933 it was valued by Antikvariat at 5,000 gold rubles (2,500USD), the Armory Chamber producing its own valuation of 20,000 rubles. In 1933 it was sold by Cameo Corner, London, to King George V and Queen Mary for £250.

In the Royal Collection, London, UK

https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/1/collection/9022/the-mosaic-egg-and-surprise