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The
Imperial Swan Egg
One of the most ingenious of
the Eggs, this exquisite piece was made by
the House of Fabergé in 1903. It was
not presented by Tsar Nicholas to his mother,
the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, until
1906 on the occasion of what would have been
her fortieth wedding anniversary. I mention
this because the circumstance of Fabergé holding
this piece for three years was unusual but
it appears to me that it was certainly made
for her because it was commonly known that
mauve, the color of the Egg, was her favorite
color and because the swan, even then, was
known to mate for life and would have been
most appropriate for this occasion. Why it
would have been made so far in advance remains
a mystery.
 The Egg itself is 4.25 inches tall. Sitting
on the pedestal base it stands just over 6.5
inches high. It is mauve enamel guilloché overlaid
by a crystal set lattice, crystal ribbon bows
at the lattice intersections. Two sizable crystals
are set at both the apex and base of the Egg.
It stands, and the stand is not original to
the Egg, on a tripod pedestal of sterling which
features the swan motif, the whole mounted
on a circular slab of marble which in turn
is mounted on a footed silver base.
The Egg opens to reveal its surprise!
A Swan in matte silver with every feather individually
molded, the eyes set with crystals and the
beak in white enamel. It floats on an aquamarine
enamel guilloché lake which is surrounded
by a frame of water lilies and lily pads; the
lilies set with crystals; the pads in different
shades of gold. In the original the Swan was
mechanized; the wings spread, the webbed feet
paddled and the elegantly curled neck unfurled
itself. In the reproduction the swan lifts
off the lake and beneath it, in an egg shaped
cavity, is a minute gold and crystal set swan
on a miniscule enameled Egg which hangs from
a finely braided golden chain: a Fabergé Egg
that can be worn. The final surprise!
 Not nearly as well publicized as most of the
other Imperial Eggs, The Swan Egg has been
privately owned for more than a half century,
and has never been on public display in the
United States. Prior to that it was in the
palace collection of King Farouk of Egypt from
which it sold in 1954 for $19,000.00.
Retail: $3000.00. Our price: $2699.90.
NOTE: Isn't it remarkable that a piece
that is conservatively valued at $24,000,000.00
today can be reproduced so beautifully and
owned and enjoyed by many.
 
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