The "Winter Egg" by Fabergé, belonging to Emperor Nicholas II, was sold at auction in London for £19.5 million ($25.7 million), setting a record for such jewelry items. This was reported by auctioneer Yu Ge Wang at the conclusion of the auction organized by Christie's, as conveyed by TASS.
“£19.5 million. Sold!” she announced. Christie's clarified that with the commission, the final amount will be £22.9 million ($30.2 million). The starting price for the lot was set at £17 million ($22.4 million).
The gift of the "Winter Egg" was presented by Nicholas II to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, for Easter in 1913. The design of this unique piece was created by young jeweler Alma Pihl, the daughter of one of the most renowned masters, Karl Fabergé.
The body of the egg is made of rock crystal with carvings resembling frost crystals. It is adorned with over 4,000 rose-cut diamonds and set on a crystal base that mimics melting ice. Inside the egg is a basket with a bouquet of snowdrops, made of quartz and jadeite, symbolizing the arrival of spring. The mounting of the egg and the setting of the gemstones were carried out in the workshop of Albert Holmström, while the stone-cutting work was done under the supervision of Pyotr Kremlov in the Fabergé workshops.
