1892 Diamond Trellis Egg
Gift Alexander
III to Maria Fyodorovna
Made in Saint Petersburg
Owner: "Private collection", London
Height: 10,8 cm
The Diamond Trellis Egg is made of gold, jadeite, rose-cut diamonds, silver and satin. The now missing miniature elephant was made of ivory, gold, rose-cut diamonds, enamel, ant brilliant diamonds.
Carved from pale green jadeite (also called bowenite), this Egg is enclosed in a lattice of rose-cut diamonds with gold mounts. Originally this Egg had a base representing three cherubs holding the Egg. The three cherubs were said to represent the three sons of the Imperial couple, the Grand Dukes Nicholas, George and Michael.
The Diamond Trellis Egg and its base with the three cherubs on an old photograph.
The original fitted case can be seen at the right. Photo courtesy "Laurent"
Background information
The miniature elephant, now lost, was the first Fabergé automaton produced in his workshops, and was to be repeated eight years later in the 1900 Pine Cone Egg made for Barbara Kelch. Only six eggs are known to contain such an independent automaton, these are this 1892 Diamond Trellis Egg, the 1906 Swan Egg, the 1908 Peacock Egg, the 1911 Bay Tree Egg, the 1914 Catherine the Great Egg and the 1900 Kelch Pine Cone Egg.
The theme "elephant" is used several times by Fabergé in the Imperial Easter Egg. The elephant appears on the coat of arms of the Danish Royal family, and Maria was before her marriage to Alexander III, the Danish Princess Dagmar. The Diamond Trellis Egg is lined with white satin and has a space for the elephant and a key for winding it.
In the 1920's probably sold by officials of the Antikvariat to Michel Norman of a Paris-based Australian Company. Sold to Wartski, London. 1929 bought by a Mr. Kitson, UK. 1960 sold by Sotheby's London to a buyer's agent. 1962-1977 Private Collection UK, 1983 Private Collection, UK, London.
page updated: September 9, 2007