Fifteenth Anniversary (Fabergé egg)

The Fifteenth Anniversary Egg is an Imperial Fabergé egg, one of a series of fifty-two jewelled enameled Easter eggs made under the supervision of Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family.

Fifteenth Anniversary Fabergé egg
Year delivered1911
CustomerNicholas II
RecipientAlexandra Feodorovna
Current owner
Individual or institutionViktor Vekselberg
Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Year of acquisition2004
Design and materials
Materials usedGold, green and white enamel, diamonds, rock crystal
Height132 millimetres (5.2 in)
Surprisenone

It was an Easter 1911 gift for Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna from her husband Tsar Nicholas II, who had a standing order of two Fabergé Easter eggs every year, one for his mother and one for his wife.

Its 1911 counterpart presented to the Dowager Empress is the Bay Tree Egg.

Design

The egg is made of gold, green and white enamel, decorated with diamonds and rock crystal. The surface is divided into eighteen panels set with 16 miniatures.

The egg's design commemorates the fifteenth anniversary of the coronation of Nicholas II on 26 May 1896.

There is no "surprise" in the egg— contrary to the Tsar's explicit instructions with regard to these eggs and without explanation, apparently none was ever made.

Provenance

It was owned by Malcolm Forbes in the Forbes Collection. Viktor Vekselberg purchased nine Imperial eggs, as part of the collection, for almost $100 million.[1] It is estimated that the individual egg cost $10 million to $15 million.[2] The egg is now part of the Victor Vekselberg Collection, owned by The Link of Times Foundation and housed in the Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

References
  1. "Russian Tycoon Buys Forbes Faberge Eggs". Forbes. 4 February 2004.
  2. "Forbes' Faberge Eggs". Forbes. 7 January 2004.

Further reading
  • Faber, Toby (2008). Fabergé's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire. New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6550-9.
  • Fabergé, Tatiana; Proler, Lynette; Skurlov, Valentin V. (1997). The Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs. London: Christie's Books. ISBN 978-0-903432-48-1.
  • Hill, Gerald (2007). Fabergé and the Russian Master Goldsmiths. New York: Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-9970-0.
  • Lowes, Will; McCanless, Christel Ludewig (2001). Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-3946-5.
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