Known as “Faberge eggs,” these elaborately decorated eggs were produced by Carl Faberge and his firm for the Russian Imperial Family between 1885 and 1917. During the Russian Revolution of 1917, the family lost a lot of their eggs.
These elaborate creations, made primarily between 1885 and 1917, are nearly as valuable as the world’s most costly paintings.
Most of the Fabergé eggs were commissioned by Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II to give to their wives and mothers for Easter.
Peter Carl Fabergé oversaw their production, and he included several diamonds and precious metals into the elaborate patterns, which all had a secret.
Just how come Fabergé eggs cost what they do? They have a fascinating history linked to enormous riches and illustrious nobility, and their rarity makes them desirable collectibles that stand apart from other works of art.
Today, in this article, we are going to look at the Top 10 Most Expensive Faberge Eggs Ever Sold
Top 10 Most Expensive Faberge Egg Ever Sold
10. Hen Faberge Egg
- Price: $6 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor) & Erik Kollin (workmaster)
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in St Petersburg
As Emperor Alexander III’s first jewelled egg commissioned in 1885, this is one of Fabergé’s most costly eggs. He liked it so highly that he commissioned a new one for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, every Easter.
The shell of the Hen egg was enamelled white. When the shell was broken, a bright gold yolk was exposed. There’s a golden hen with many different colours inside the yolk. The Hen itself opens to reveal a little ruby pendant and a diamond and gold facsimile of the imperial crown. Both surprises have vanished and are presumed gone.
9. Cradle with Garlands Egg
- Price: $6.65 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor) & Henrik Wigström (designer)
- Can be seen at: V&A Museum in London
The Cradle with Garlands Egg was created by Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family as part of a series of 54 jewelled enamelled Easter eggs.
Tsarina Maria Feodorovna received it from her son, Tsar Nicholas II, who had a tradition of giving his mother and grandmother matching Fabergé Easter eggs every year beginning in 1907. The Rose Trellis egg was given to the Tsar’s wife for Easter in 1907.
The Cradle with Garlands Egg, by Fabergé, is a stunning beautifully crafted piece. It is a remembrance of the friendship between Fabergé and the Russian Imperial family and a showcase of the talented artisans who worked in the Fabergé studios.
In 1992, it went for $3.19 million, which is equivalent to around $6.65 in today’s money.
8. Order of St George Egg
- Price: $7 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
This Fabergé egg was commissioned by Nicholas II in 1916 to honour his and his son Grand Duke Alexei Nikolaievich’s receipt of the Order of St. George, the highest military medal bestowed by the Russian Federation.
The Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna received this Easter egg as her very last. The Karelian birch egg was also meant for her, but she never got it.
There were no diamonds or other expensive extras in this Faberge egg. The egg shell has a green enamel coating.
However, it still fetches a whooping $7 Million Dollars if anybody is interested to buy it.
7. Lilies of the Valley Egg
- Price: $13 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor) & Mikhail Perkhin (workmaster)
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
In 1898, Tsar Nicholas II had this egg made as a present for his wife, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. This egg was crafted under Peter Carl Faberge’s supervision in 1898. The head worksmith in charge was named Michael Perchin.
A guilloché background is adorned with pink enamel and many pearls. The building stands on four legs, and when you turn the pearl button, you can see paintings of Tsar Nicholas II and his two eldest daughters.
In 2004, the egg was purchased by Viktor Vekselberg for the Forbes Collection. The Lily of the Valley Egg is worth $13 million, according to industry experts.
6. Fifteenth Anniversary Egg
- Price: $15 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
This exquisite Fabergé egg marks the fifteenth anniversary of Tsar Nicholas II’s coronation, an occasion that is often celebrated with lavish parties in other cultures as the Quinceaera.
The egg is adorned with diamonds, rock crystals, and green and white enamel. There is no twist, and Peter Carl Faberge offered no justification.
The 15th Anniversary egg was added to the Forbes Collection by Viktor Vekselberg in 2004. The estimated worth of this Faberge egg, according to industry professionals, is between $10 million and $15 million.
5. Bay Tree Egg
- Price: $15 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
Tsar Nicholas II gave this breathtaking work of art to the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna together with the Fifteenth Anniversary egg. A little level disguised as fruit opens the interior of a nephrite shell encrusted with diamonds, rubies, amethysts, and pearls to expose a songbird.
This Fabergé egg has been misidentified as an orange tree for quite some time, although the actual invoice from 1911 clearly identifies it as a bay tree. Its value is pegged at $15 million.
The Bay Tree Egg is among the most well-known Fabergé creations. In 2014, it fetched $12.8 million at auction. Today, it is estimated to be worth over $15 Million Dollars.
4. Winter Egg
- Price: $15.6 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor) & Alma Pihl (workmaster)
- Can be seen at: Privately held
This Fabergé egg, one of the ten most costly in the world, was created in 1897 and is a prime illustration of the company’s signature attention to detail. Tsarina, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna’s gold coronation dress served as inspiration for the design of the façade.
In addition, a working copy of the Imperial carriage from the 18th century that was utilised in the ceremony is shown inside. It might be valued as much as $18 million.
3. Imperial Coronation Egg
- Price: $18 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor), Mikhail Perkhin (workmaster), and Henrik Wigström (workmaster)
- Can be seen at: Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg
This Fabergé egg, one of the ten most costly in the world, was created in 1897 and is a prime illustration of the company’s signature attention to detail. Tsarina, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna’s gold coronation dress served as inspiration for the design of the façade.
In addition, a working copy of the Imperial carriage from the 18th century that was utilised in the ceremony is shown inside. It might be valued as much as $18 million.
2. Rothschild Clock Egg
- Price: $25 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé
- Can be seen at: Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg
Many Russians adored this one-of-a-kind egg because of its striking hue and intricate pattern. The egg was rather interesting. The egg was designed by Michael Perchin and made by Peter Carl Faberge in 1902.
This Fabergé egg was an engagement present from Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild to Germaine Halphen and is one of the few that was not commissioned by the Russian Imperial family.
The main surprise of this egg, which is encrusted with gold, silver, diamonds, and pearls, occurs at the top of each hour when a cockerel appears on top of the egg, flaps its wings four times, nods his head three times, and a bell rings to signal the beginning of a new hour.
The value of a Fabergé egg, in dollars. In 2007, this one went for £8.9 million, which is almost $25.1 million in today’s dollars after adjusting for inflation.
1. Third Imperial Easter Egg
- Price: $33 Million
- Created by: Peter Carl Fabergé (supervisor) & August Holmström (workmaster)
- Can be seen at: Private
The most costly egg on our list is at hand. The Third Imperial Easter Egg is supported by three pairs of corbel-like legs that finish in lion’s paws and is encased in pure 18-karat gold.
The hidden treasure is a 14-karat gold Vacheron Constantin wristwatch with diamond hour markers and bezel. It’s not as valuable as the world’s priciest homes, but it’s still the priciest Fabergé egg ever made.
The most intriguing aspect of this, however, is the fact that it was only in 2011 that a junk dealer, who had let it sit in his kitchen for years, finally figured out where it came from. It last changed hands in 2014 for an unknown sum and is currently thought to be valued over $33 million.
Conclusion
Without a shadow of a doubt, Viktor Vekselberg is a powerhouse in the world of Fabergé. The good news is that the vast majority of Fabergé eggs are currently on exhibit at various museums across the world.
This article was all about the top 10 most expensive Fabergé eggs ever sold.
If you had the money, which one would you buy?
