Hen with Sapphire Pendant (Fabergé egg)
Encyclopedia
The Hen with Sapphire Pendant Egg or Egg with Hen in Basket is a Tsar Imperial Fabergé egg
, one in a series of fifty-two jeweled
eggs
made under the supervision of Peter Carl Fabergé
for the Russia
n Imperial family
. It was created in 1886 for Alexander III of Russia
, who presented it to his wife, the Empress Maria Feodorovna. It is one of eight eggs that are currently lost.
describes the hen as being silver on a stand of gold, though this description is probably in error since the orders for the 1886 Tsar egg specifically stated the present was to be made of gold.
until the Revolution. The last documented location of the egg is from the archive of the provisional government's inventory in 1922 when the egg was held in the Armory Palace of the Kremlin
. It is not known whether the egg was lost or is currently in private hands.
Fabergé egg
A Fabergé egg is any one of the thousands of jeweled eggs made by the House of Fabergé from 1885 to 1917. Most were miniature eggs that were popular gifts at Eastertide...
, one in a series of fifty-two jeweled
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
made under the supervision of Peter Carl Fabergé
Peter Carl Fabergé
Peter Karl Fabergé also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé in Russia was a Russian jeweller of Baltic German-Danish and French origin, best known for the famous Fabergé eggs, made in the style of genuine Easter eggs, but using precious metals and gemstones rather than more mundane materials.-Early...
for the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Imperial family
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. It was created in 1886 for Alexander III of Russia
Alexander III of Russia
Alexander Alexandrovich Romanov , historically remembered as Alexander III or Alexander the Peacemaker reigned as Emperor of Russia from until his death on .-Disposition:...
, who presented it to his wife, the Empress Maria Feodorovna. It is one of eight eggs that are currently lost.
Design
The exact design of this egg is not known as there are no known photographs or illustrations of the egg and written descriptions of the egg sometimes conflict one another. The present is described as "a hen of gold and rose diamonds taking a sapphire egg out of a nest" in the imperial archive dated February 15, 1886 through April 24, 1886. The sapphire egg was loosely held in the hen's beak. The hen and the basket were both made of gold studded with hundreds of rose-cut diamonds. The archive of the Russian Provisional GovernmentRussian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
describes the hen as being silver on a stand of gold, though this description is probably in error since the orders for the 1886 Tsar egg specifically stated the present was to be made of gold.
Surprise
The surprise was not documented and is unlikely to be discovered as the egg's current whereabouts are unknown.History
The Sapphire Pendant Egg was sent to Tsar Alexander III on April 5, 1886 from Fabergé's workshop. The egg was presented by the Tsar to Tsarina Marie Fedorovna on April 13 of the same year. The egg was housed in the Anichkov PalaceAnichkov Palace
Anichkov Palace is a former imperial palace in Saint Petersburg, at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and the Fontanka.-History:The palace, situated on the plot formerly owned by Antonio de Vieira, takes its name from the nearby Anichkov Bridge across the Fontanka...
until the Revolution. The last documented location of the egg is from the archive of the provisional government's inventory in 1922 when the egg was held in the Armory Palace of the Kremlin
Moscow Kremlin
The Moscow Kremlin , sometimes referred to as simply The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River , Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square and the Alexander Garden...
. It is not known whether the egg was lost or is currently in private hands.