The egg was created by Faberge's workmaster, Henrik Wigström, and is crafted of gold, green and pink enamel in various shades, portrait diamonds, rose-cut diamonds and satin lining. The egg is enamelled in translucent pale green and latticed with rose-cut diamonds. It is decorated with enamel roses of opaque light and dark pink colour and emerald green leaves. A portrait diamond is set at either end of this egg, the one at the base covering the date "1907". The monogram was lost. The egg is approximately 7.7 cm in height.
The egg opened to reveal a diamond necklace and an ivory miniature portrait of the tsarevich framed in diamonds which was lost, leaving an impression on the satin lining.
Ownership
Tsar Nicholas II purchased the egg as a gift to his wife, Tsarina Alexandra Fyodorovna. The April 21, 1907 invoice indicated the egg cost 8,300 rubles. [1] In 1920, the egg was in the possession of Alexandre Polovtsov, who was a former employee at Gatchina Palace and later started an antique shop in Paris. It is unknown how Polovtsov acquired the Egg. In 1930, the egg was sold along with the 1901 Gatchina Palace egg to Henry Walters and became a part of the Walters Art Museum Collection in 1931. In 1936, the egg was exhibited along with the Gatchina Palace egg at the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland and has been on permanent exhibition since 1952.
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