Closed Edition Alert!

Tercentenary Egg

For those few fortunate collectors who purchased Theo Fabergé’s Tercentenary Egg, the edition is now officially closed with all 15 pieces being made.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with this spectacular creation, the egg was designed by Theo in honor of St. Petersburg’s 300^th anniversary of founding.  The first egg was presented to this Russian city as a gift from the Fabergé family with St. Petersburg Collection Chairman Philip Birkenstein participating in the ceremony. 

Philip Birkenstein with the Tercentenary Egg at Peterhof Palace, St. Petersburg

The piece is on permanent rotating exhibition in the palace museums of St. Petersburg, the same ones depicted in hand-carved intaglios on the egg’s crystal shell.  The official description of the Tercentenary reveals its uniqueness.

In 1993 Theo Fabergé the only surviving grandson of Russian Imperial jeweller Carl Fabergé, promised Mayor Sobcheck of St Petersburg, that as long as the city remained free of developers, he would bring a visiting group of his friends and collectors of the ST PETERSBURG COLLECTION each subsequent year.  The year 2003 thus marked St Petersburg Collection’s eleventh visit to the former Russian capital. More importantly, it marked the 300^th anniversary of the city’s foundation by Peter the Great.

Theo has designed the Tercentenary Egg to celebrate the establishment of this most beautiful of the world’s cities. The crystal Egg is mouth-blown and hand-engraved with images of the nine major palaces of St Petersburg.  Alongside each palace appears the profile of the Tsar or Tsarina with whom it is most associated.  Atop the Egg stands the triple headed eagle in token of the finial on Peterhof Palace. The fluted gold and silver base is set on a hand-sculpted foot of rare marble. Open the Egg to reveal the surprise; Peter the Great, founder of St Petersburg, modelled astride his magnificent horse and set on a guilloché base.

Theo Fabergé‘s Tercentenary Egg is a glorious tribute to the magnificent capital in which his illustrious grandfather Carl held the warrant for the Imperial Court and created the most fabulous objets d’art and jewellery in the history of the civilised world. This echo of three hundred years’ history and culture is expressed in timeless style, and rendered by the Fabergé family’s renowned craftsmanship.  

The overall height of the egg is 30 cms and is engraved with the following:

Peterhof, Grand Palace  - Peter the Great

Catherine the Great’s Palace, Tsarskoye Selo - Elizabeth

Chinese Palace, Lomonosov - Catherine II

Grand Palace, Pavlosk - Paul I

Alexander Palace, Tsarskoye Selo - Alexander I

Cottage Palace, Peterhof - Nicolas I

Private Summer Palace Residence - Alexander II

Gatchina Palace - Alexander III

Detail from Tercentenary Egg