Easter week 2004 will be extra special at Sotheby's in New York, as a collection of stunning Fabergé eggs are auctioned. Nine Imperial Easter Eggs from the renowned Forbes Collection are to go under the hammer, and they are expected to fetch upwards of $90 million.
The centrepiece of the collection is the Coronation Egg, which was given by Tsar Nicholas II to his Tsarina. Valued at $24 million, the diamond-set piece contains a model of the coach in which Alexandra made her entry into Moscow. The simple, white-enamelled Hen Egg is valued at $4 million, while the Lillies Of The Valley design, which contains miniatures of the Tsar and his two eldest daughters, is expected to fetch $18 million.
Tsar Alexander III was the first to commission the ornate trinkets from the House of Fabergé. He wanted them as an Easter gift for his wife Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, and in the years that followed, giving the exquisite ornaments became a tradition in the household.
"The Imperial Easter Eggs are Fabergé's acknowledged masterpieces," explains Sotheby's Gerard Hill. "They reflect the wealth and splendour of the imperial court and the epoch which closed with the Great War."
Both Prince Charles and the Queen are passionate admirers of Fabergé work, but it is not known if they will bid at the auction on April 20.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
