Fabergé Imperial Winter Egg sells at record $30 million at auction

A Fabergé Imperial Winter Egg, commissioned by the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, as an Easter gift to his mother, sold for a record $30 million at auction on Tuesday.

Carved in rock crystal, the Winter Egg is considered one of Fabergé's finest creations for the Imperial family, according to Christie's.

Sitting on a crystal base made to look like melting ice, the egg is engraved inside with a frosted pattern, creating an almost 3D effect reminiscent of frosted glass or a frosted window.

When opened, it reveals a basket with intricately made spring flowers, symbolising spring after winter, resurrection, hope, and the Easter celebration.

Christie's head of department, Fabergé and Russian works of art, Margo Oganesian, said, "The Winter Egg is made of rock crystal as well as the base, and it’s set with platinum mounts covered with tiny rose-cut diamonds. We have the original invoice from Fabergé, and it actually lists the number of diamonds. It's 4,508 diamonds on the Winter Egg."

The egg was on offer at the 2 December 'The Winter Egg and Important Works by Faberge from a Princely Collection' sale during Christie's 'Classic Week' of auctions.

It sold for £22,895,000 ($30.20 million), the third time it has set a record, Christie's said in a statement on Tuesday.

Christie's previously sold the Winter Egg in Geneva in 1994 and New York in 2002. Both times, it set a world record price for a Faberge item sold at auction. In New York, it went for $9.6 million.

The sale is one of several Christie's is hosting during its 'Classic Week', running  2-11 December.

Among the highlights of its 'Old Masters Evening Sale', also on 2 December, is Dutch artist Gerrit Dou's first depiction of a musician, 'The Flute Player'.

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