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Click the Eggypiece
above to read about
Peter Carl Faberge-
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The Eggs: An Overview (http://users.vnet.net/schulman/Faberge/eggs.html)
A Brief History
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Faberge designed Easter eggs for another eleven years until Alexander III died. Then Nicholas II,
shape and would hold a surprise. These projects became top priority of the company and were planned
and worked on far in advance--a year or longer. The surprise was always kept secret.
The designs for the Imperial eggs were inspired by historical art works that Faberge imitated or
copied from his travels or from the Hermitage. However, there is a poignant representation of what is
now Russian history in the design of a number of these eggs. There were eggs to commemorate the
coronation of Czar Nicholas II, the completion of the Trans Siberian Railway, and anniversaries. There
were eggs depicting the Imperial yacht-Standart, the Uspensky Cathedral, the Gatchina Palace, and
during the time of war, the Red Cross and the military.
Faberge's primary source of inspiration came from works of previous centuries. Translucent enameling
was a valued technique in the nineteenth century that required several coats of applied enamel and
the "firing" of the object in an oven after each coat. However, only a small number of colors were used
in the nineteenth century, and so Faberge took it upon himself to experiment and soon came up with
over 140 shades. The most prized of these was oyster enamel which varied in color depending on the
light.
Materials used by Faberge included metals - silver, gold, copper, nickel, palladium - that were
combined in varying proportions to produce different colors. Another technique used by eighteenth
century French goldsmiths and again Faberge involve a simple tinting of the completed work using
stones and enamel.
Another technique used by Faberge included guilloche, a surface treatment that could make waves and
striations in the design and could be done by machine or by hand. Faberge used natural stones often
found in abundance in the area. These included jasper, bowenite, rhodonite, rock crystal, agate,
aventurine quartz, lapis lazuli, and jade (nephrite mostly although he would sometimes use jadeite).
Precious stones including sapphires, rubies and emeralds were used only for decoration, and when
used they were en cabochon (round cut). Diamonds were typically rose-cut. Semi-precious stones
including moonstones, garnets, olivines, and Mecca stones were used more often en cabochon.
Fifty six Imperial eggs were made, forty-four of which have been located today and another two that
are known to have been photographed. Another twelve Easter eggs were commissioned by Alexander
Ferdinandovich Kelch, a Siberean gold mine owner. However, the Imperial Easter egg collection
commissioned by the last of the Russian Czars is the most celebrated.
Explanation of Markings
Markings of the eggs included the stamp of the supervising goldsmith. Before 1903, that would be
Michael Perchin (MPnote: the "P" is the Russian "P", which looks like two vertical lines joined
together at the top, like the letter pi.) for the Faberge eggs. After 1903, it would be Henrik Wigstrom
(HW). Also there would be Russian assay marks. These would show the purity of the precious metal.
Metal purity was measured in zolotniks. About 4 zolotniks equals one karat, so 14 karat gold= 56
zolotniks and 18 karat gold= 72 zolotinks. Sterling silver (.925 fine) would be 91 zolotniks. There
would also be a stamp of the city or region of origin. For St. Petersburg, the symbol was crossed
anchors and for Moscow, St. George and the Dragon. In 1896, Czar Nicholas II 's reign saw a shift
from localized marks to a national provenance mark, a woman wearing a kokoshnik.
Click these words for more Faberge Surprises!
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