1895 Twelve Monogram Egg
Gift Nicholas
II to Maria Fyodorovna
Made in Saint Petersburg
Owner: Hillwood Museum, Washington, DC, USA,
The
Marjorie Merriweather Post Collection
Height: 7,9 cm
The 12 Monogram Egg, also known as 12 Panel
Egg, is made of translucent blue enamel, red gold, rose-cut diamonds,
portrait diamonds and velvet lining. The gold Egg 
is covered with
six panels, each divided by bands set with rose-cut diamonds, and
decorated with the Imperial crown and the Imperial monograms "MF"
(Maria Fyodorovna) and "AIII" (Alexander III), which
are set in rose-cut diamonds.
Each monograms appears six times, totaling 12 which gives the Egg its name. A portrait diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds surmounts the Egg and another one is set under the Egg. Maria Fyodorovna's monogram appears on the top half of the Egg, Alexander III's on the bottom halve. The Egg opens to reveal a velvet lining for the surprise, which is now lost.
Background information
This Egg was long thought to be the 1892 gift for
the Imperial Couple's 25th wedding anniversary, but recent research
proves that the 12 Monogram Egg was presented to Maria Fyodorovna
at Easter in 1895, in memory of Tsar Alexander III, who had died
the previous November. 
The Egg is of relatively simple design, and it had to be because Fabergé had barely six month in which to create it. After the death of Alexander III, in the short time remaining before the Easter holiday in 1895, Fabergé had not only to rework the egg that had originally been planned for Maria prior to her husband's death, but also to create an appropriate egg for Alexandra (the 1895 Rosebud Egg).
The Twelve Monograms Egg was the first Fabergé Egg given by Tsar Nicholas to his mother, Maria Fyodorovna, The Dowager Empress.
In the 1920's probably sold by Russian officials to a Paris-based jeweler. Owned by a Mrs. Berchielli, Italy. 1949 Bought by Marjorie Merriweather Post, General Foods heiress. 1973 Collection of the late Marjorie Merriweather Post, willed to Hillwood Museum, Washington. D.C.
Page updated: November 13, 2008