The Tsars Golden Egg

The Tsars Golden Egg, One of the Easter eggs, designed by the distinguished Russian Court jeweller, Carl Faberge, and which is to be offered for sale at Christies on March 15th together with other objects d 'art made in his workshops. The firm of Faberge was established in St. Petersburg in 1842 and from the time Carl Faberge took over control it enjoyed the patronage of nearly every Royal house in Europe. These eggs which were made for the Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II are remarkable examples of the goldsmiths art. Alexander III gave Faberge a standing order for an egg every Easter, which he presented to his wife. This particular example when opened discloses a golden yolk and the delicately modelled figure of a hen. It is enamelled egg shell white on the outside. G.P.A. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)