Thanks to Lillian Thomas Pratt, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) contains the finest (and reportedly largest) collection of Fabergé objects outside of Russia, many of which contain gems and minerals that might be of interest to you here in the Roskin Gem News Report. The VMFA’s public collection of Fabergé and Russian decorative arts includes about 200 objects by or attributed to the Fabergé firm, as well as “Old Russian”–style works, such as silver and enamels, by Feodor Rückert and other masters. These pieces are not simply viewed as a cup, a pendant, an egg, or an owl, but as works of extraordinary craftsmanship, by extraordinary artists.
Gary Roskin
Roskin Gem News Report
The Imperial Tsarevich Egg
One of several imperial Easter Eggs, seen here is the Imperial Tsarevich [Czarevitch] Easter Egg was presented by Tsar Nicholas II to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, in 1912. It stands 5 inches tall and is cleverly constructed to appear as if it is carved from a single piece of lapis lazuli. It actually has six lapis lazuli sections, where the joints are concealed under the elaborate gold decorations, including the double-headed eagles, a symbol of imperial Russia. This royal Easter egg is made up of lapis lazuli, gold, and diamonds. The Picture frame inside is made up of silver, platinum, lapis lazuli, diamonds, watercolor on ivory, and rock crystal.
The top of the egg is set with a table cut diamond (a thin, flat, polished diamond) that covers the Cyrillic monogram AF (for Alexandra Feodorovna) and the date 1912 – seen here.
The Peter the Great Egg
The VMFA also houses the Peter the Great Egg, 4 and a quarter inches tall, from 1903.
The Imperial Peter the Great Easter Egg was presented by Tsar Nicholas II to his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, in 1903. This royal Easter egg is made up of gold, silver-gilt, diamonds, rubies, enamel, watercolor on ivory, and rock crystal. The Peter the Great statue is made up of gold, and sapphire. The Imperial Peter the Great Easter Egg commemorates the 200th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg by Tsar Peter the Great.
The top of the egg bears the Cyrillic initials of Nicholas II and Alexandra Feodorovna seen here.
When it is opened, a replica of Étienne-Maurice Falconet’s famous statue of Tsar Peter the Great rises out of the egg, seen here.
Also at the VMFA, the Pelican Egg, standing 4 inches tall, is made up of gold, diamonds, enamel, natural pearls, watercolor on ivory, and glass. The Imperial Pelican Easter Egg was presented by Tsar Nicholas II to his mother, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, in 1898.
The egg commemorates the 100th anniversary of the charities and educational institutions she directed, which were founded by an earlier Russian empress who also took the name Maria Feodorovna (Alexander I’s mother, who was born Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg, 1759–1828).
You can explore an overview of the collection here: Fabergé and Russian Decorative Arts – Collections (vmfa.museum). Additionally, you can find specific examples by searching “Fabergé” or “Russian decorative arts” on their search collections page.
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