In Imperial Russia, Easter was special, even more special for the Empress, who was the recipient each year of an amazing present, a Fabergé Egg. Each year, a new, unique egg was given to the Empress by the Tsar, (First Alexander III, then Nicolas II) and made by Peter Carl Fabergé, a Russian jeweller who made his creations of precious metals and gemstones, in the style of Easter eggs.
In 1885, Tsar Alexander III commissioned Fabergé’s company to make an Easter egg as a gift for his wife, the Empress Maria. The Tsar placed an order for another egg the following year. Beginning in 1887, the Tsar apparently gave Carl Fabergé complete freedom with regard to egg designs, which then became more and more elaborate. According to Fabergé Family tradition, not even the Tsar knew what form they would take—the only stipulation was that each one should contain a surprise. The next Tsar, Nicholas II, ordered two eggs each year, one for his mother and one for his wife, Alexandra. Wikipedia- Carl Fabergé
The Russian Revolution changed everything and In 1918, The House of Fabergé was nationalized by the Bolsheviks and Fabergé fled to Switzerland. He never recovered from the shock of the Russian Revolution and died in Switzerland on September 24, 1920. His family believed he died of a broken heart. according to his family.
Some eggs were lost in the transition from Imperial Russia to the Soviet Union. Some eggs were sold the Soviets to the west. Eight of them are missing, and only three are believed to have survived the revolution. Now, one of the missing eggs has been found. Here is the story of an egg that was lost, only to show up in an unlikely place…
The Lost Third Imperial Easter Egg By Carl Fabergé- LINK
Easter is the most important of all Russian Orthodox festivals and it’s a long-established tradition to exchange Easter eggs. Carl Fabergé, goldsmith to the Tsars, created the lavish Imperial Easter eggs for both Alexander III and Nicholas II from 1885 to 1916. The Eggs are his most prized creations and have become bywords of luxury and craftsmanship.
This egg was last seen in public over 112 years ago, when it was shown in the Von Dervis Mansion exhibition of the Russian Imperial Family’s Fabergé collection in St. Petersburg in March 1902. In the turmoil of the Russian revolution the Bolsheviks confiscated the Egg from the Empress. It was last recorded in Moscow in 1922 when the Soviets decided to sell it as part of their policy of turning ‘Treasures into Tractors’. Its fate after this point was unknown and it is was feared it could have been melted for its gold and lost forever.
It was only in 2011 that Fabergé researchers discovered that the Third Imperial Egg survived the revolution, when it was discovered in an old Parke-Bernet catalogue. Its provenance had been unknown and so it was sold at auction on Madison Avenue, New York on 7th March 1964 as a ‘Gold watch in egg form case’ for $2,450 (£875 at the time). This discovery started a worldwide race to discover the whereabouts of the egg, which was now worth tens of millions of dollars….
Continue with the link: The Lost Third Imperial Easter Egg By Carl Fabergé
One of my favorite shows on television is CBS Sunday Morning. It usually airs 7:30-9:00 AM. This week there was a section devoted to some of the great minds, talent, entertainers, and people who made a difference in the world. I always think about those we lost who were not necessarily famous, but who had a huge impact on other lives, and the segment even addressed the fact that there wasn’t time to do justice to and mention the many lives that ended in 2008. Paul Newman (One of the true greats ever and a noble human), George Carlin, Michael Crichton, Betty Page, Steve Fosset, Issac Hayes, Tim Russert, Bo Diddly, Jim McKay (whose Munich Olympiad tragic news of the lives lost, still gives me goose bumps and makes me emotional every time I hear it-Rent the documentary “One Day in September” if you haven’t seen it), J.R. Simplot (self-made Idaho potato billionaire), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Beatles guru), Bobby Fisher, Sir Edmund Hillary. Just to name a few!
Shadybrook 