1898 Lilies Of The Valley Imperial Faberge Easter Egg, Russia. An imperial Easter egg presented by Nicholas II to his wife, Empress Alexandra Fiodorovna, for Easter 1898. Gold, diamonds, rubies and pink guilloché enamel with lily-of-the-valley flowers (pearls/diamonds) and contains a hidden portrait. From The Fabergé firm, St Petersburg made by Michael Perchin. Height is 20 cm opened. Via Collection of the Fund ‘The Link of Times’.

The name Faberge is associated with the Russian Imperial family for whom most of the world’s most famous eggs were created. In 1870, Faberge inherited his father’s jewelry business and quickly became known for his brilliant designs. A display of his work and the gold medal he was awarded in Moscow’s Pan-Russian Exhibition of 1882 brought him to the attention of the Russian nobility.

In 1885, Faberge was commissioned by Tsar Alexander III of Russia to create an Easter egg for his wife, the Empress Maria Fedorovna. This became known as The Hen Egg, the first Imperial Faberge Egg, and is made of gold. The Empress was so happy with the gift that Alexander appointed Fabergé a ‘Goldsmith by Special Appointment to the Imperial Crown’ and the following year commissioned another egg. From then on, Faberge was given complete freedom with future Imperial designs which become even more elaborate every year. A famous Fabergé egg is one of sixty eight jeweled eggs made by Fabergé and his assistants for the Russian Tzars and private collectors between 1885 and 1917.

After the Russian Revolution, the House of Faberge was nationalized by the Bolsheviks and the Faberge family fled to Switzerland where Peter Carl Faberge died in 1920. Several of the Faberge Imperial eggs are still missing.