FABERGE EGGS

The Lilies of the Valley Egg, an 1898 gift from Nicholas II to Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna is Faberge's stunning works of originality. Designed in the Art Nouveau taste of which the Empress was so fond, the Egg, enameled in a lush rose-pink against a gold ground, is supported by multi-colored gold diamond-set leaves. From this quadruped metal base, the egg itself appears to have been dropped into a patch of lily-of-the-valley, with green enamel leaves, engraved gold stems, and pearl flowers, the petals marked by tiny rose-cut diamonds.
Every spring, Alexandra had the rooms of the palaces filled with beautiful floral bouquets. Faberge knew that pink was the favorite color of the Empress, and lilies of the valley her favorite flower. As well pearls were her favorite jewels so the combination in this Egg would have delighted her. A similar design was used in the Lilies of the Valley basket. The basket so enchanted alexandra that it sat on her desk until the October Revolution of 1917.
The 1898 Lilies of the Valley Egg is made of Gold, green-gold, translucent rose pink and green enamel, diamonds, rubies, pearls, rock crystal and watercolor on ivory.
The gold Lilies of the Valley Egg in the art nouveau style is enameled translucent rose on a guilloche field and supported on four green-gold cabriolet legs composed of overlapping leaves veined in rose-cut diamonds. The Egg is surmounted by a rose diamond and cabochon ruby Imperial Crown set with two bows and quartered by four lines of rose diamonds and decorated with lilies-of-the-valley in pearls and rose diamonds.
When a gold-mounted pearl button at the side is turned the surprise slowly rises from the base, and spreads into three portraits of Tsar Nicholas II in military uniform and his first two daughters, the Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana. A turn in the opposite direction automatically folds and returns the miniatures back into the interior of the Egg. The date, April 5, 1898 is engraved on the reverse of the miniatures. The miniatures are painted on ivory by Johannes Zehngraf.