Colonnade (Fabergé egg)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Colonnade egg is a jewelled enameled Easter egg made by Henrik Wigström [1] under the supervision of the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé in 1910.[2] The egg was made for Nicholas II of Russia, who presented it to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. [2]
Contents |
[edit] Surprise
As a clock-egg, the Colonnade egg contained no surprise. [3]
[edit] History
The egg celebrates the 1904 birth of Alexei Nikolaevich, Tsarevich of Russia, the only son of Nicholas II of Russia. The birth of Alexei ensured that the throne would not pass to Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia, the younger brother of Nicholas II. [2]
Alexei is represented by a silver-gilt cupid, which summounts the egg. The cupid is missing an arrow which was used to pointed the hour. [2] Four silver-gilt figures surrounding the colonnade represent Nicholas' four daughters. [2]
One of nine eggs sold by the Antikvariat to Emanuel Snowman of London antique dealers Wartski in 1927, it was sold two years later to Mary of Teck, and inherited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It remains in the Royal Collection [1]
