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The originals of these miniature Eggs were made for Easter giving
amongst the most affluent Russian households.
They became very much sought after, and were
collected and worn almost as status symbols.
These replicas of the original miniscule Eggs, made specifically
for personal decoration, come in tiny velvet
bags marked Fabergé in
gold, then enclosed in their own miniature
gold encrusted Limoges Porcelain Boxes. The boxes
themselves are miniature replicas of Presentation Boxes
with which the monarchy gifted those to whom
it wished to show appreciation.
The diminutive
Eggs are exact reproductions of those made
earlier; fashionable ladies then wearing multiples
of them on bracelets and necklaces. Fabergé made
many of them, each of varied design. Collected
prodigiously by the ladies, there are examples
of bracelets with as many as 11 of them displayed
(See Fabergé by
Karen Farrington). One wonders what it was
like wearing 11 dangling eggs, some of gold,
some hand carved of gemstone, some enamel guilloché,
many set with precious stones. Moderation
was not much practiced in Russia in those years.
Today, wearing even one of these delicately
beautiful pieces will be sufficient to bring
all eyes to the wearer.
NOTE 1: All come with
documentation and in handsome fitted travel
cases just as the original Fabergé pieces.
NOTE 2: Photographs
of the originals of several of these Eggs
can be seen in the book "Fabergé and
The Russian Goldsmiths."
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