Unilever. In 1989, an American subsidiary of Unilever bought Fabergé Inc.
The collection itself
The majority of the 42 extant eggs are in public collections; the largest private collection of eggs belongs to the Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg.
The egg is part of the Victor Vekselberg Collection, owned by The Link of Times Foundation and housed in the Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Vekselberg bought the Hen egg in 2004, as part of the collection of Fabergé works once owned by the late American media magnate Malcolm Forbes. He owns nine Fabergé imperial eggs, which are usually on display in the Fabergé Museum in the Shuvalov Palace in St Petersburg.
Collecting Fabergé became a royal pastime, and since then, over six generations, the family has amassed 800 pieces in the Royal Collection, with acquisitions made up to this reign.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts' Pratt collection is the largest public collection of Fabergé imperial Easter eggs outside Russia.
There are now seven missing Imperial Easter Eggs. They are the Eggs for the years 1886, 1888, 1889, 1897, 1902, 1903 and 1909. And yes, they are all seven Maria Feodorovna's Eggs!
Most of the Fabergé eggs, along with masses of Imperial gold, silver, jewels and icons were inventoried, packed in crates and taken to the Kremlin Armoury. Several eggs disappeared during the looting and pillaging of the palaces. The only egg not found at the time was the Order of St.
Finding the egg. The Russian word for "clock" and "watch" is the same. In March 1902, an egg identical to the egg recovered in 2012 was photographed in situ with other treasures of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in the Von Dervais Mansion Exhibition in St. Petersburg.
Fabergé, whose father Gustav founded the eponymous firm, completed a total of 50 eggs for the royal family, 43 of which are accounted for today.
In 2014, the egg was sold in a London auction to British antique dealer Wartski on behalf of an unidentified collector. The dealer didn't reveal the amount it paid, but some estimates valued the egg as high as $33 million, making it the most expensive Fabergé Egg ever traded on the private market.
Third Imperial Easter Egg
Made out of a solid 18k gold case that is decorated with diamonds and sapphires, this is the most expensive Faberge egg ever. Worth more than $33 million today, this egg was discovered in 2011 by a scrap dealer by accident.
The company was nationalised, all production closed down and Peter Carl Fabergé and his family fled Russia. Following its founder's death in Switzerland, the Fabergé heirs lost the rights to the Fabergé name.
The 50 eggs made by Faberge were found one by one, except for eight that are uncounted for. Today, millionaires practically fight between themselves for the ownership of an original Faberge egg. But even you could be a millionaire if you find one of these missing Faberge eggs.
Octopussy (1983)
A fake Fabergé egg, and a fellow Agent's death, lead James Bond to uncover an international jewel-smuggling operation, headed by the mysterious Octopussy, being used to disguise a nuclear attack on N.A.T.O. forces.
And like the Easter eggs you may find hidden in your shrubs or gutters, these eggs were also intended to contain a surprise inside. Initially the first Fabergé egg was to contain a diamond ring, but after specific instructions given by the Emperor, the egg could be opened to find a ruby pendant instead.
One of the eggs becomes a key plot element in Octopussy. The movie begins when 009 (Andy Bradford) steals a Fabergé egg from the circus in East Berlin run by Octopussy (Maud Adams). Agent 009 dies with a knife in his back, and the jeweled egg falls into the hands of the British ambassador.
To tell if a Fabergé egg necklace is real, first look for one of the brand's hallmarks. The jewelry house's markings varied widely over the years but often featured the name in Cyrillic or a head shown in profile beside a number. A licensed appraiser can help you accurately assess the authenticity of your necklace.
Fabergé Museum. Since 2013 the lavish 18th century Shuvalov Palace, St. Petersburg has been the home of Museum Fabergé and holds the world's largest collection of Fabergé eggs.
As of December 2021, Elizabeth II the Queen of England owned four Fabergé eggs. Three of the pieces in her collection are original Imperial eggs. Her grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary, purchased them. Find a selection of Fabergé jewelry on 1stDibs.
There is a small, jeweled egg, which is made of precious metals and hard stones. Silver, gold, copper, nickel, and palladium in addition to sapphires, rubies, diamonds and emeralds are various metals and stones that could be used in this egg. It is decorated with enamel and gems while hanging from a chain.