1896 Alexander III Portraits Egg
Gift Nicholas
II to Maria Fyodorovna
Made in Saint Petersburg
Lost
The Alexander III Portraits Egg was made of blue enamel, rose-cut diamonds, sapphires and probably gold. The miniatures probably watercolor on ivory.
The 1896 Alexander III Portraits Egg was the first in what would become no less than four Tsar Imperial Eggs directly commemorating Alexander III, either through miniature paintings or through sculptures. The other three Eggs are the 1902 Empire Nephrite Egg (missing), the 1909 Alexander III Commemorative Egg (missing) and the 1910 Alexander III Equestrian Egg.
Nothing was known about this Egg until an original Fabergé bill was found. It appeared that this Egg was not among the Eggs transferred to the Armory. The bill mentions 6 miniatures of Emperor Alexander III. Could it be that the frame with 6 portraits of Alexander III that Grand Duchess Xenia (daughter of Maria Fyodorovna) lent to an exhibition in London in 1935, be the same as the surprise from the Alexander III Egg? For now, only history knows.
Page updated: September 9, 2007