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Treasure hunting with direct-arrival transmission imaging	943
Stonehenge	661
The Industrial Role of Copper at Jamestown	633
Origins of Oysters at James Fort	600
Archaeology assessor's kit	584
Projectile Points from Jamestown	579
Magnetism - The First Records	544
Arlington Report	538

[Bart]

1901 Basket of Wildflowers Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna

   The 1901 Flower Basket Egg, also known as Basket of Wild Flowers Egg, is made of silver, parcel-gilt, opalescent oyster and (later) dark blue enamel, rose-cut diamonds, green gold, and opaque multicolored enamels for the flowers.

   In the form of a flower basket, this silver Egg's body is covered with opalescent oyster enamel and applied with a trellis-work in rose-cut diamonds. The date, 1901, is also in rose-cut diamonds. The foot of this egg is now dark blue enamel. A beautiful composition of wildflowers sits in green gold thread moss. The flowers are made of gold and are covered with a variety of colors of enamel, including pink, white, dark-blue, orange and mauve. The basket is finished with a diamond-set handle.



An old photograph (1902) exists on which the entire body of this Egg was white enamel. It is assumed that the foot was restored after the Russian Revolution and changed from white to dark-blue.

   In 1933 the Basket of Flowers Egg was sold by the Antikvariat to an unrecorded buyer, probably Emanuel Snowman of Wartski, or Michel Norman of the Australian Pearl Company. In 1933 acquired by Queen Mary, UK. 1953 inherited by Queen Elizabeth II, UK.


   It is not known if there was a surprise with this Egg. The original Faberg? invoice mentions "pearls" and since there are no pearls on the Egg, they probably were connected to the surprise. A broche or a string of pearls perhaps in some way attached to the Egg?

[Bart]

1901 Gatchina Palace Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna

   Continuing a practice initiated by his father, Alexander III, Czar Nicholas II (1868-1918) presented this egg to his mother, Maria Feodorovna, on Easter Day in 1901. Faberg?'s revival of eighteenth-century techniques, including the application of multiple layers of translucent enamel over guilloche (1) or mechanically engraved gold, is demonstrated in the shell of the egg. The Faberge workmaster was Mikhail Perkhin and the cost was 5,000 rubles.

   The Egg is divided into twelve panels by lines of pearls. Portrait diamonds are set at either end, but the monogram and the year of presentation, which were probably set beneath them, have been removed. The gold Egg is enameled opalescent white over a guilloche ground, under painted in a delicate design of green and gold leaves, pink roses and red ribbons tied into a variety of bows.

   The Dowager Empress Alexandra Fedorovna lent it to a charity exhibition that was held in the Don Vervis mansion in 1902. It can be seen in photographs of this exhibition published in Niva. It was later kept in the Anichkov Palace. The egg was bought by Henry Walters from the emigree dealer Alexandre Polovtsoff in 1930. Polovtsoff had been the curator of the Stieglitz Museum of Industrial At before the Revolution and had remained in St Petersburg trying to protect the Pavlosk and Gatchina Palaces during the upheavals. How Polovtsoff had been able to get the egg to Paris remains unknown. It was first described in the Walters superintendent's log as " One egg in white enamel with a ring of little pearls, one missing, Modern."



   When opened, the egg reveals a miniature replica of the Gatchina Palace, the Dowager Empress's principal residence outside St. Petersburg. So meticulously did Faberg?'s work-master, Mikhail Perkhin, execute the palace that one can discern such details as cannons, a flag, a statue of Czar Paul I (1754-1801), and elements of the landscape, including parterres and trees.

   The miniature palace is fixed inside the Egg and cannot be removed from it, unlike the 1908 Alexander Palace Egg, which Faberg? would create seven years later for Alexandra Fyodorovna.

   The village Gatchina was a small sleeping village when Catherine II (Catherine the Great) decided to build a palace there for her lover, Grigori Orlov, who helped her to the thrown after a coup in which Catherine's husband (Peter III) was killed. Work started in 1766 and Catherine was constantly overseeing the works.

   After Orlov died, Catherine bought the palace from his heirs and gave it to her son Paul Petrovich. Paul hated the idea that Gatchina was build for the murderer of his father, but nevertheless he become fond of the Palace. The Gatchina Palace was abandoned by Paul's son, Alexander I but was used again by Nicholas I, who build two new quarters. The Tsars Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II used the palace from time to time but did not change much on the exterior.

[Bart]

1902 Clover Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna

   This simple pattern of stems and leaves of clover makes the shape of an egg. It seems to be woven of very tiny golden threads which span a very expressive picture. The gaps between the metal outline of leaves are covered with transparent bright green enamel. A very thin golden ribbon paved with rubies curls here or there through the rich foliage. The transparent enamel was a new method in art. It was very difficult to create it. Usually the artist used a very steady alloy of enamel because having no support the enamel could crack while being fired or while cooling. You see how the work with enamel in this masterpiece is perfect. There are no bubbles or cracks in the enamel. This egg is considered one of the finest examples of the jeweler's art anywhere in the world.



   The "surprise" of the egg had been lost but according to the archives four leaves with 23 diamonds and 4 portrait miniatures of the emperor's daughters were fixed inside the egg. These leaves are the symbol of the happy marriage of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna. Little clips inside the Egg probably held the surprise in place, much like the 1914 Mosaic Egg.

[Bart]

1903 Danish Jubilee Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna - Whereabouts Unknown



   The 1903 Royal Danish Egg, also known as Danish Silver Jubilee Egg, is made of gold, light-blue and opalescent white enamel and probably watercolor on ivory. The Egg is, together with the 1909 Alexander III commemorative Egg, only known from an early photograph.



   This gold Egg is surmounted by a Danish Royal Elephant and supported by three Danish heraldic lions. The Egg contains a double-sided miniature screen on a stand, showing portraits of King Christian IX on one side and Queen Louise on the other. Each miniature is surmounted by a diamond crown and initial.

   This Egg is one of the 8 that disappeared but it is known by a description and drawings and other information in the collection of Faberg? expert Tatiana Faberg?. Amongst this information is a description of the Egg written by H.C. Bainbridge, the manager of the Faberg?-owned shop in London. His description was published by "The Connoisseur" magazine in June 1934:

   "Miniatures of the late King of Denmark and his Queen are framed as the surprise feature in the Imperial egg. The outer surface is in light blue and white enamel with ornaments in gold and precious stones. On the top are the armorial bearings of the Danish Royal Family, and it is supported by Danish heraldic lions."



   The Egg on its pedestal stand is over 9 inches in height, one of the largest that Faberg? made. It is crowned by the symbol of Denmark's ancient Order of the Elephant. Thought to have been founded by King Knut IV in the 12th century, the order was re-established by King Christian I in 1464.

   When Britain 's Prince of Wales - the future King Edward IIV - married Denmark's Princess Alexandra - daughter of King Christian IX - the Order of the Elephant was awarded to several members of the British royal family. In Denmark it was the symbol of absolute rule. The icon was a castle on the back of an elephant. Astride the elephant is his mahout. It is interesting to note that this symbol was so successful for Faberg? that it was incorporated into many other objects d'art made by the workshops as well as in some other Eggs.

   In 1903 the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna, born the Danish Princess Dagmar - the daughter of king Christian IX - returned to Denmark for the 40th Anniversary of her father's accession to the throne. The Egg that Tsar Nicholas presented to his Mother as her Easter gift in 1903 was a commemoration of that event and at he same time to commemorate the death of Queen Louise at Bernsdorff Castle, five years earlier. Her son Tsar Nicholas II wrote in a letter to her in Copenhagen: "I am sending you a Faberg? Easter present. I hope it will arrive safely; it simply opens from the top".

   Maria's parents were very popular throughout Europe in those days. One of their daughters was Queen of England and the other Tsarina of Russia. Their son was the King of Greece and a grandson King of Norway!

   The Royal Danish Egg presumably returned to Russia with Maria Fyodorovna. However, if the Dowager Empress decided to leave it in Copenhagen, interesting possibilities as to its fate are opened up.

[Bart]

1903 Chanticleer Egg

Presented by Alexander III to Czarina Maria Fyodorovna

   The second largest Faberg? egg known, this egg recalls "singing bird" snuffboxes popular in Switzerland in the early 19th century.

   A rooster emerges from under the grille at the top, bobbing its head, flapping its wings, and crowing the hour. A similar Faberg? creation in pink enamel is also recorded. It is not certain which of the two was actually made for the imperial family and which for another wealthy client.

[Solomon]

Absolute perfection is perhaps the most rare of all commodities in this world and the Faberg? eggs are, to my mind, in that exclusive category.

The cultural affinity between France and Imperial Russia is also interesting. Many French craftsmen moved to Russia in order to exploit this.

I had a number of close connections with Imperial Russia. One was a French lady who, in her youth, worked as a nanny to a Russian aristocratic family in Saint Petersburg. She married an English doctor and her son became a RAF pilot who fought in the Battle of Britain and was killed later in the war. She had a marvellous collection of jewellery from Russia, including a bejewelled silver scimitar which she bequeathed to me.


I also knew Count Felix Felix Sumarokov-Elston, Prince Yussupov, who took part in the assassination of Grigori Rasputin, as an agent of British Intelligence. After the Russian Revolution, he escaped to live in Paris.

Solomon

[Bart]

1906 Swan Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria

   In Russia, the swan is considered a symbol of family life and the permanence of the bond of marriage. Czar Nicholas II presented this egg to his mother, for Easter 1906, the year of her 40th wedding anniversary.



   This golden egg, enamelled in sky translucent-mauve, is decorated with a trellis of ribbons encrusted in brilliants and with a diamond set at each end. The top, designed to conceal the division when closed, is surmounted by a large portrait diamond covering the year, "1906". Another large portrait diamond is set at the base where a monogram probably once appeared. It bears the unabridged signature of Faberg? and the assay mark of Jakov Ljaounov, Saint Petersburg.



   It conceals a surprise: in a basket dressed with garlands of flowers in three colours of gold (white, yellow and pink), an aquamarine supports a miniature swan in finely dressed platinum, with enamelled eyes and beak. When the mechanism is activated, the swan advances and starts to spread its wings, moving its feet and rump; the head and neck rise up proudly and then come down again. In 1940 the "mechanical swan on an aquamarine lake" was so highly regarded that it was quoted as being worth more than $ 100.000.

   In 1927 the Swan Egg was one of the nine eggs sold by the Antikvariat in Moscow to Wartski in London. In 1933 sold to Charles Parsons, London. 1939 sold by the Hammer Galleries in New York on behalf of Charles Parsons, to King Farouk of Egypt. In 1954 sold by Sotheby's Cairo by the new Egyptian government ordered "King Farouk sale" to A La Veille Russie, New York. Sold by them to Dr. Maurice Sandoz, chemicals magnate in Switzerland. 1958 Collection of the late Dr. Maurice Sandoz, 1977, Collection Edouard and Maurice Sandoz, Switzerland. 1995 Fondation Eduourd et Mourice Sandoz, Lausanne, Switzerland.

[Bart]

1907 Rose Trellis Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna



   Its name refers to the "Trellises" of diamonds that criss-cross its surface. After the death of Alexander III, his son Czar Nicholas II carried on the tradition of giving a jewelled egg to the Czarina, Alexandra Fyodorovna. The background has a machine-turned, all-over textured pattern in transparent light green enamel. The trellis, set with rose-cut diamonds, contours the egg and is topped by a large diamond. In between the trellis are roses enameled in shades of pink, with vinelike branches in gold and leaves of dark green enamel.

   This beautiful gold Easter egg is enameled in translucent pale green and latticed with rose-cut diamonds and decorated with opaque light and dark pink enamel roses and emerald green leaves. A portrait diamond is set at either end of this Egg, the one at the base covering the date "1907". Unfortunately the monogram, that probably was under the portrait diamond at the other end, has now disappeared.

   Originally the Egg contained an oval jeweled locket in which the surprise was hidden. Only the impression on the satin lining now remains. Research indicates the surprise was a diamond chain with a watercolor miniature of the little Tsarevich Alexei, painted on ivory.

[Bart]

1907 Cradle with Garlands Egg (or Love Trophy Egg)

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna

   This gold Egg in the Louis XVI style, is enameled translucent pale blue and decorated with a band composed of painted enamel roses and translucent emerald green enameled leaves, panels of oyster enamel and bands of scrolls and acanthus in colored gold. The Egg is supported in a gold cradle by four columns modeled as love trophies with Cupid's sets of arrows set with diamonds. The whole is supported on a carved oval white onyx base and stands on four bun feet in chased colored gold.


   The now missing surprise was made of white enamel, ruby, pearls, rose-cut diamonds, watercolor (possibly on ivory), probably gold. According to the original invoice the surprise was a miniature of all the imperial children.

Private Collection, Robert M. Lee, USA - Value $3,100,000

[Bart]

   It seems somewhat natural that one would tire of viewing the same sort of art objects after a while. Not so with Faberge, each one out-does the preceding by virtue of originality, subject, and beauty. The mystique of their history, indeed, every aspect of them combine to inspire the awe. - Bart

1908 Alexander Palace Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna

  This egg is carved from Siberian nephrite (1), and celebrates Czar Nicholas II's five children. It is adorned with five miniature watercolour portraits of the children of emperor Nicholas II (the portrait shown on the picture is their daughter Anastasia) and contains a replica of Alexander Palace at Tzarskoye Selo. The upper and lower sections of the egg are set with triangular diamonds bearing the initial A.F. (Alexandra Fyodorovna) and golden leaves and flowers composed of rubies and diamonds.



   The remainder of the egg's surface is divided by five vertical lines, studded with diamonds and connected with one another by gold garlands inlaid with rose and ruby flowers. In the spaces between the vertical lines are the five miniature oval portraits of emperor Nicholas II's children, framed in rose-cut diamonds, with a diamond monogram above each of them. Two gold branches tied into a bow rest beneath each child's portrait. Inside the egg, on the reverse side of each portrait, is engraved the birth date of the person represented, framed by two branches tied into a bow: "Olga" - November 3, 1895; "Tatiana" - May 29, 1897; "Maria" - June 14, 1899; "Anastasia" - June 5, 1901; "Alexei" - July 30, 1904.



   The stand for the egg was made in 1989 at the Moscow experimental jewellery factory by S. Bugrov from a sketch by T.D. Zharkova. The original stand had been lost.

 When opened, the egg reveals a tiny detailed replica of Alexander Palace, the Imperial family's favourite residence at Tsarskoye Selo, and its adjoining gardens. Built in 1769 by Catherine the Great, the palace later became the principal residence of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. It is executed in tinted gold and enamel, with windows of rock crystal; the roof is enamelled in light green. The model is secured on a round pedestal with five high narrow legs, connected at the bottom. The inscription "The Palace at Tsarskoye Selo", enclosed in a laurel wreath, is engraved on the base.

History:

   The Invoice reads: "Nephrite egg with gold incrustations, 54 rubies and 1805 rose-cut diamonds, design with 2 diamonds and 5 miniatures of the Imperial children, containing a representation of the Alexander Palace in gold. St. Petersburg, 2 May 1908. 12,300 roubles."

   1908-1917 - Kept in the Mauve Room of the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoye Selo.

   1917 - Confiscated by Kerensky's provisional government, along with other treasures, and taken from the Anichkov Palace to the Moscow Kremlin Armoury.

   1922 - One of the items on the list of confiscated treasures transferred from the Anichkov Palace to the Sovnarkom: "1 nephrite egg with gold ornamentation, 2 diamonds and rose-cut diamonds, containing a model of the Tsarskoselskii [Alexander] Palace."

   The Alexander Palace egg was never sold by Antikvariat to the West and remained in Russia.

[Bart]

1908 Peacock Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna

   The Two Egg halves are each with a heavily chase silver-gilt rococo mount. Both engraved, one with the crowned monogram of Maria Fyodorovna and the other with the date, 1908.

   The Peacock Egg is not often seen publicly. Only 5 times it was exhibited, the last time in 1992.



   Within the Egg, a mechanical gold enameled peacock sits in the branches of an engraved gold tree with flowers in enamel and precious stones. the peacock can be lifted from the tree and wound up. Placed on a flat surface, she struts proudly around, moving her head and spreads en closes her varicolored enamel tail from time to time.

   The maker of the peacock, Dorofeiev, worked, including on the prototypes, three years to make it!

   The concept for the Peacock Egg is derived from the famous 18th century Peacock Clock by James Cox, originally housed in the Winter Palace, now the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg.

[Bart]

1909 The Standart Yacht Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Czarina Alexandra Fyodorovna

   Sailing on the clear rock crystal oval base representing the sea, inside this egg, is a replica of the royal yacht, the Standart - reproduced to the last detail - where many happy days were spent together. The crystal egg is horizontally mounted in gold and bears the inscription "Standart 1909" on the edge of the mount.



   A gold band, with inlaid leaves of green enamel and small diamonds, lines the perimeter of the egg. The bottom half of the egg is decorated with a vertical gold band with inlaid designs. A crowned eagle of lapis lazuli is perched on either side of the egg; a pear-shaped pearl hangs from each of them. The shaft consists of two lapislazuli dolphins with intertwined tails. The oval base is of quartz crystal with a wide base of white enamel inlaid with laurel garlands and bands of small diamonds with laurel branches in green enamel.

   The ca. 5,500 ton yacht Standart was commissioned by Alexander III in Copenhagen. It was first launched in 1895 and was 116 meters long, making it the largest yacht in the world at that time. It had thirty rooms, and a stable for a cow to ensure the imperial children of fresh milk! The yacht took the imperial family on frequent sorties along the Baltic and the Finnish coasts.

   Faberg? differed wery much from all the other jewelers of the period. Where they were only interested in large gemstones, Karl Faberg? was interested in the ultimate effect that a piece would have, a lasting effect so that every time you looked at a particular object, you would have this great sense of sheer enjoyment and pleasure from it.

[Bart]

Solomon;

" a bejewelled silver scimitar which she bequeathed to me ". If it is not an inconvenience, a photo of the scimitar would be most appreciated.

Thank you!

- Bart

[Bart]

1910 Alexander III Equestrian Monument Egg

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna



gold, platinum, diamonds, lapis lazuli, rock crystal

height 15,5 cm (6"1/8)



   This egg egg is carved out of rock-quartz crystal, engraved with two tied laurel leaf sprays, the upper half cloaked with platinum trelliswork and a tasseled fringe, two consoles shaped as double-headed eagles set with rose-cut diamonds. A large diamond surmounts the egg and is engraved with the year "1910". The diamond is set in band of small roses, with a rosette border of platinum acanthus leaves. The two platinum double-headed eagles on the sides of the egg have diamond crowns. The surface of the egg between the eagles is engraved with branching patterns which are adjoined at the bottom.

   The abundant use of platinum in this Egg may be misleading; platinum was in Russia at that time not regarded with the esteem reserved for gold. The Egg has no official state mark because platinum had no hallmark in Russia at that time.

   The lower hemisphere of the egg serves as a platform for the gold model of a statue of Tsar Alexander III, after Peter Troubetzkoi (1866-1938), standing on a nephrite base embellished with two rose-cut diamond bands - engraved signature Faberg?, and is supported by cast platinum cherubs coiled into position on a base of crystal.

   The enormous original statue of Alexander III, ordered by the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna, on which the miniature is based, was made by Trubetskoi and unveiled in 1909.

[Bart]

1911 Orange Tree Egg (or Bay Tree Egg)

Presented by Nicholas II to Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna



gold, enamel, nephrite (1), diamonds, citrines, amethysts, rubies, pearls, agate, feathers

height 29,8 cm (11"3/4)



   This egg brings us back to one of Faberg?'s greatest works. Presented to Dowager Empress Marie by Nicholas II, this egg brings together the best of the automaton skill learned in the Lily of the valley egg and the Cockerel Egg, but combines it with the ability to reference eighteenth century objects without copying them. Based on a mechanical tubbed Bay Tree of Eighteenth century origin by the French jeweler and clockmaker, Richard, the egg also references a similar piece which was in the collection of Dowager Empress Marie, and her sister Queen Alexandra of Great Britain at the home they shared, "Hvid?re" in their native Denmark.



   The design of the Orange Tree Imperial Easter Egg differs from the other examples. The Romanov court avidly imitated French fashions of every type. This elegant object was inspired by Eighteenth Century French music boxes in the shape of orange trees. The egg, composed of a Louis XVI style planter from which grows a bay tree with finely engraved nephrite (1) leaves, citrine, amethyst, ruby and champagne diamond 'berries' and white enamel flowers with diamond-set pistils.

   In the case of this magnificent work, the foliage of the tree forms the egg shape, in fact quite round rather than ovate, which rests on a trunk that stands in a nephrite base with four nephrite posts at the corners connected by swags of green enamel leaves and pearl. The quartz tub is applied with gold trellis and green laurel swags suspended from rubies filled with hammered gold soil.



   Created at a cost of 12,800 rubles, it was the most expensive egg to date. Removed from the Anitchkov palace, this egg was sent to SovNarKom in 1922, and sold to Wartski in 1927. Sold by Wartski in 1934 to Allan Hughes for 950 pounds, it was bought back by Wartski in 1939. It appears in public for the first time when it was sold by Sotheby's London on July 10, 1947 for 1,650 GBP, and passed through several owners until being acquired by Forbes in 1965 for $35,000.

   Like the other Faberg? Eggs, the Orange Tree Egg also has a secret. The surprise concealed within this tree is a little mechanical bird, covered in real feathers. If the correct "orange" is turned, a portion of the foliage at the top of the tree rises and a feathered nightingale emerges singing while moving its head, wings, and beak. A small bellows inside produce the sweet song of the feathered bird as the entire tree revolves on its trunk. When the melody ends, the bird disappears automatically.

   This charming and graceful work, must have pleased the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna when she received it on Easter morning in 1911 - she turned the correct gemstone "orange" and the little bird emerged singing.

   The Egg was confiscated by the Provisional Government in 1917 and transferred from the Anchikov Palace to the Kremlin. It was one of nine eggs sold by Antikvariat to Emanuel Snowman of Wartski around 1927. It has since passed through the hands of five different owners and was sold by Mrs .Mildred Kaplan to Malcolm Forbes in 1965. 2004 sold by the Forbes' family to the Vekselberg Foundation/The Link of Times-Collection, Russia.