1901 Kelch Apple Blossom Egg
Gift: Alexander
Kelch to his wife Barbara Kelch-Bazanova
Made in Saint Petersburg
Owner: Mr. Peter Goop, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Height: 11,5 cm, Length: 14 cm
The 1901 Kelch Apple Blossom Egg, also known as "Jade Chest Egg", is made of nephrite, green and red gold, silver, diamonds, matt pink, and white enamel and velvet lining.
The Egg is made of a solid piece of carved nephrite and forms the astonishingly thin polished shell of this Egg. It stands on four carved gold feet, fashioned as twisted branches. These branches which are carried out in red and green gold have spreading and interlacing twigs with knots, veins and patches of moss, bearing gold leaves and pink foiled rose-cut diamonds within silver-mounted with and pink enamel petals. The Egg was designed as a jewel case; the surprise is lost.
Background information
This is one of the largest eggs made by Fabergé. It was another of the Kelch Eggs initially mistaken as a present to the Dowager Empress Maria Fyodorovna. The Eggs's design reflects the contemporary fashions of Art Nouveau and the Japanese style.
In 1920 one of the six Kelch Eggs sold by Morgan in Paris to A La Vieile Russie, Paris. 1928 sold to an unknown buyer from the United States. 1928-1994 private collection, US. 1994 sold by Christie's, Geneva, to an anonymous Russian buyer. November 1996 sold by Sotheby's, Geneva, to Adulf Peter Goop, Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
In june 2010 Adulf Peter Goop donated his entire art collection, including the Fabergé Apple Blossom Egg, to The Principality of Liechtenstein. More in the German article "Die Sammlung Adulf Peter Goop wird dem Land Liechtenstein geschenkt" (The collection Adulf Peter Goop is donated to the country Liechtenstein - in German).
The collection will be exhibited in the Liechtensteinisches Landesmuseum, Vaduz, Liechtenstein. A special exhibit: "Österliche Kostbarkeiten aus Liechtenstein und dem Zarenreich Aus der Sammlung Adulf Peter Goop" in 2011 is being prepared.
The Apple Blossom Egg is clearly visible in a little movie made by Liechtenstein TV at the occasion of the transfer of the Collection from Mr. Goop to The Principality of Liechtenstein. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmCsZpOsa3c&feature=related (in German).
The images below are screenprints from the above mentioned TV movie.
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Page updated: November 7, 2010