Faberge's Winter Egg sells for record-breaking £22.9 million at auction

Faberge's The Winter Egg, widely admired as one of the jeweller's most exquisite masterpieces, fetched nearly 23 million ($30 million) at a London auction on Tuesday, setting a new record for works by the iconic Russian artisan. This delicate jeweled creation achieved a record price for the third time when it went under the hammer at Christie's.

An anonymous buyer paid 22.9 million for the sparkling egg, which was crafted over a century ago. The London auction house noted strong international collector interest. Prior to the sale, Christie's had estimated the crystal egg, commissioned in 1913 by Tsar Nicholas II for his mother, at over 20 million.

"This sale establishes a new global auction record for a Faberge piece, highlighting the enduring importance of this masterpiece," stated Christie's Margo Oganesian shortly after the sale concluded. She added that the auction underscored "the rarity and brilliance of what is considered one of Faberge's finest creations, both technically and artistically."

The previous record for a Faberge egg was held by the Rothschild Egg, which was not made for the imperial family, selling for nearly 9 million in 2007 to a Russian collector. Faberge, famed for dazzling Russia with his jewelry, created 50 Imperial Easter Eggs for the Romanov family over 31 years, making them highly rare and valuable, Oganesian told AFP. These eggs were commissioned as Easter gifts, a tradition begun by Tsar Alexander III in the 1880s. Nicholas II continued the custom, ordering two eggs annually for his mother and wife until the 1917 Russian Revolution ended the dynasty.

Today, only 43 of the Imperial Easter Eggs survive, with seven still missing. In recent decades, they have regained attention in the art market, particularly among wealthy Russian collectors interested in preserving national heritage.

The Winter Egg, carved from delicate rock crystal, features around 4,500 rose-cut diamonds and stands 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) tall. Beyond its lavish decoration, its technical mastery is what sets it apart, according to Oganesian. "The Winter Egg is one of the rarest creations ever made," she explained. "Its astonishing to consider the level of skill Faberge achieved."

The egg and its base are crafted from crystal, adorned with platinum snowflakes encrusted with diamonds. Inside lies a hidden treasure: a bouquet of white quartz anemones with gold wire stems arranged in a platinum basket. Like many Romanov artifacts, it carries deep historical significance. After the revolution, it was moved from Saint Petersburg to Moscow in 1920, and later sold by the Soviet government to earn foreign currency. London jeweler Wartski acquired it between 1929 and 1933, according to Christie's.

Subsequently, the Winter Egg passed through several British collections but was thought lost after 1975. It was rediscovered in 1994 and brought to Christie's Geneva sale. Eight years later, in 2002, it sold again for a record $9.6 million in New York.

Author: Sophia Brooks