The original Fabergé Cockerel Egg was given as a gift by Tsar Nicholas II to his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna, for Easter 1900. Some think it was inspired by The Peacock Clock created by James Cox in the late 18th century which was owned by the Russian Monarchy. Peter Carl Fabergé was familiar with this work of art because he voluntarily donated his expertise to the monarchy for the care of their numerous art treasures and would have seen it repeatedly. The Cockerel, for which the egg was named, was a mechanical feathered bird that rose out of the egg, flapped its wings and crowed each time a hidden button on the egg was depressed, after which it retracted.

The Cockerel Surprise Egg is Strawberry crystal, hand cut with four "windows" through which the Cockerel can be viewed. It is decorated with streamers of engraved laurel leaves between the "windows." The egg sits on a pedestal that repeats the theme of the "windows" using punch work around its base. Crowning the egg is a gold dome style pendant, reminiscent of the domes so frequently seen in Russian architecture. Inside the egg, standing on a gold, hammered metal plinth, is our Cockerel; fashioned of 24 karat gold plated pewter, his neck is extended creating a sense of attitude and his vividly enameled wings and tail feathers spread to their fullest, the better to display his strikingly handsome plumage.

The metal used in this egg is 24 karat gold plated pewter.

Retail: $600.00. Our price: $539.90.