Faberge China

Faberge eggs were produced by Peter Carl Fabergé's company, the House of Fabergé, between 1885 and 1917. The first Fabergé egg was created for Tsar Alexander III as an Easter gift for his wife. This first Fabergé egg is referred to as the hen egg and was crafted from pure gold. The Empress was so impressed with the gift that Peter Carl Fabergé was given the freedom to design future Imperial Easter eggs, the only requirement being that each egg contain a surprise.

When Peter Carl Fabergé approved a design, his team of skilled craftsmen would carry out the work. During this time, the House of Faberge made approximately 50 eggs, 43 of which have survived. The House of Fabergé had success in several other areas including hardstone sculptures.

After the Russian Revolution, the Fabergé family left Russia and since then, the Fabergé trademark has been sold several times. In the 20th century, the factory moved to a building in Bolshaia Morskaia, while keeping branches opened in Moscow, Odessa, and London. In 2015, Fabergé revived the Fabergé egg in collaboration with the Al-Ferdan family of Qatar. The Pearl Egg opens to reveal a 12.17-carat gray pearl from the Persian Gulf.

Quick Facts

• It's said that the Tsar's inspiration for the first egg came from an egg owned by the Empress's aunt which had captivated the Empress since childhood
• The crown and miniature egg from the original Fabergé egg have since been lost
• The Rothschild Fabergé egg sold at Christie's London in November 2007 for $18,540,000