Fabergé Egg Fetches Record £22.9 Million at London Auction

A jewel-encrusted Fabergé egg, known as the Winter Egg, has achieved a record price of £22.9 million at a London auction. The exquisite piece was originally commissioned by Emperor Nicholas II in 1913 as a gift for his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. This sale marks a significant milestone in the world of art and collectibles, eclipsing the previous record for a Fabergé item by more than £13 million.

The auction took place at Christie’s on Tuesday, where the Winter Egg sold for £22,895,000. This figure surpasses the previous record set in 2007, when the Rothschild Egg sold for £8.9 million. Notably, this is the third time the Winter Egg has achieved a record price for a Fabergé piece, underscoring its exceptional value in the art market.

Details of the Winter Egg

The Winter Egg is renowned for its intricate design and craftsmanship. It is carved from rock crystal and features a frost design engraved on the interior. The exterior is adorned with rose-cut diamonds set in platinum snowflake motifs, showcasing the masterful artistry that Fabergé is celebrated for. Margo Oganesian, head of the Fabergé and Russian works of art department at Christie’s, expressed pride in handling the sale: “Today’s result sets a new world auction record for a work by Fabergé, reaffirming the enduring significance of this masterpiece.”

Oganesian highlighted the rarity of imperial Easter eggs in private collections, describing the auction as an “exceptional and historic opportunity for collectors.” Only a few such pieces remain outside of institutional ownership, making the Winter Egg’s sale particularly noteworthy.

A History of the Winter Egg

The Winter Egg has a storied past that traces back to the tumultuous events of the Russian Revolution in 1917. Following the revolution, it was moved from St Petersburg to the Kremlin Armoury in Moscow, where it remained along with other royal treasures. In the 1920s, the Soviet government began liquidating art treasures, often at a fraction of their true worth.

Initially acquired by the London antiques dealer Wartski for £450, the egg changed hands several times, eventually being sold to a British collector in 1934 for £1,500. The Winter Egg was believed lost for two decades until it re-emerged in 1994, when it sold at Christie’s for a then-record 7,263,500 Swiss francs (approximately £6.8 million).

In 2002, the Winter Egg again set a record when it sold for 9,579,000 US dollars (around £7.1 million), reaffirming its status as one of Fabergé’s most prized creations.

The recent sale at Christie’s not only reflects the egg’s historical significance but also highlights the enduring allure of Fabergé’s artistry in the contemporary art market. As collectors continue to seek out unique pieces with rich histories, the Winter Egg stands as a testament to the craftsmanship and opulence of a bygone era.