Made in St. Petersburg.
Workmaster: Henrik Wigstrom.
Marks: Faberge, H.W., 72 kokoshnik.
Materials: Gold, diamonds, pearls, lapis lazuli, crystal.
Dimensions: Height 6" (15.3 cm).
Techniques: Carving, enamel.
Kept in the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin, inv.no.MP-649/1-2.
Description:
The crystal egg is horizontally mounted in gold and bears the inscription "Standart 1909" on the edge of the mount. A gold band, with inlaid leaves of green enamel and small diamonds, lines the perimeter of the egg. The bottom half of the egg is decorated with a vertical gold band with inlaid designs. A crowned eagle of lapis lazuli is perched on either side of the egg; a pear-shaped pearl hangs from each of them. The shaft consists of two lapis lazuli dolphins with intertwined tails. The oval base is of quartz crystal with a wide base of white enamel inlaid with laurel garlands and bands of small diamonds with laurel branches in green enamel. An exact replica in gold of the yacht Standart rests inside the egg on an oval base of rock crystal representing the sea.
Provenance:
Presented by emperor Nicholas II to his wife, empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Easter 1909.