The Third Imperial Fabergé Easter Egg.
Given by Alexander III Emperor and Autocrat of all the
Russias to Empress Marie Feodorovna for Easter 1887.
The jewelled and ridged yellow gold Egg stands on its original tripod pedestal, which has chased lion paw feet and is encircled by coloured gold garlands suspended from cabochon blue sapphires topped with rose diamond set bows.
It contains a surprise of a ladys watch by Vacheron Constantin, with a white enamel dial and openwork diamond set gold hands. The watch has been taken from its case to be mounted in the Egg and is hinged, allowing it to stand upright.
Made by Fabergés Chief-Jeweller August Holmström,
height 8.2 cm.
Fifty Imperial Easter Eggs were delivered by Carl Fabergé to Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II from 1885 to 1916. The Third Imperial Easter Egg was until its recent rediscovery among the eight lost Imperial Fabergé Eggs.
The Egg was recently bought for $14,000 in America. The purchasers were unaware of its provenance and the price paid was calculated only on its intrinsic value. Its exhibition at Wartski in April 2014 is the first time it has been seen in public for 112 years.