Lilies of the Valley (Fabergé egg)

1898 Imperial Fabergé egg

Lilies of the Valley Fabergé egg

Year delivered| 1898
Customer| Nicholas II
Recipient| Alexandra Fyodorovna
Current owner
Individual or institution| Viktor Vekselberg
Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Year of acquisition| 2004
Design and materials
Workmaster| Michael Perkhin
Materials used| Enamel, gold, diamonds, rubies, pearls
Height| 151 millimetres (5.9 in) when closed, 199 millimetres (7.8 in) when opened
Surprise| Portraits of Tsar Nicholas II and Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana

For the plant, see Lily of the valley.

The Lilies of the Valley egg is a jewelled Fabergé egg made under the supervision of the Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé in 1898 by Fabergé ateliers. The supervising goldsmith was Michael Perchin. The egg is one of the three eggs in the Art Nouveau style (the other two are the Pansy egg and the Clover Leaf egg). It was presented on April 5 to Tsar Nicholas II, who gave it as a gift to his wife, the Tsarina, Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. The egg is part of the Victor Vekselberg Collection, owned by The Link of Times Foundation and housed in the Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

## Description

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The egg is covered in pearls and topped with rose pink enamel on a guilloché field. The egg is supported by cabriole legs of green-gold leaves with rose-cut diamond dewdrops. The gold-stemmed lilies have green enameled leaves and flowers made of gold set with rubies, pearls, and diamonds.[1]

## Surprise

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This egg's surprise is 'elevated' out of the egg by twisting a gold-mounted pearl button. When fully raised, three portraits are visible under the Imperial crown set with a ruby: Tsar Nicholas II and his two oldest daughters, Grand Duchess Olga and Grand Duchess Tatiana, painted on ivory by Johannes Zehngraf. The portraits are framed in rose diamonds and backed with gold panels engraved with the presentation date of July 31, 1898.

## In popular culture

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The Lilies of the Valley Fabergé egg is depicted in the British drama the Peaky Blinders in Season 3.

## References

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1. ^ "Mieks Fabergé Eggs".

## Sources

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* Faber, Toby (2008). Faberge's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire. Random House. ISBN 978-1-4000-6550-9.
* Forbes, Christopher; Prinz von Hohenzollern, Johann Georg (1990). FABERGE; The Imperial Eggs. Prestel. ASIN B000YA9GOM.
* Lowes, Will (2001). Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-3946-6.
* Snowman, A Kenneth (1988). Carl Faberge: Goldsmith to the Imperial Court of Russia. Gramercy. ISBN 0-517-40502-4.

## External links

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* Faberge - Treasures of Imperial Russia

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lilies of the Valley (Fabergé egg).

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Fabergé eggs

Imperial Easter eggs
(1885–1917)|

* First Hen
* also known as Jeweled Hen
* Hen with Sapphire Pendant
* also known as Egg with Hen in Basket
* Third Imperial
* Cherub with Chariot
* also known as Angel with Egg in Chariot
* Nécessaire
* Danish Palaces
* Memory of Azov
* Diamond Trellis
* Caucasus
* Renaissance
* Rosebud
* Blue Serpent Clock
* Twelve Monograms
* also known as Alexander III Portraits
* Rock Crystal
* also known as Revolving Miniatures
* Imperial Coronation
* Mauve
* Lilies-of-the-Valley
* Pelican
* also known as Dowager
* Bouquet of Lilies Clock
* also known as Madonna Lily Clock
* Pansy
* also known as Spinach Jade
* Trans-Siberian Railway
* Cockerel
* also known as Cuckoo Clock
* Basket of Flowers
* Gatchina Palace
* Clover Leaf
* Empire Nephrite
* Peter the Great
* Royal Danish
* also known as Danish Jubilee
* Moscow Kremlin
* also known as Uspenski Cathedral
* Swan
* Rose Trellis
* Cradle with Garlands
* also known as Love Trophies
* Alexander Palace
* Peacock
* Standart Yacht
* Alexander III Commemorative
* Colonnade
* Alexander III Equestrian
* Fifteenth Anniversary
* Bay Tree
* also known as Orange Tree
* Tsarevich
* Napoleonic
* Romanov Tercentenary
* Winter
* Mosaic
* Catherine the Great
* also known as Grisaille or Pink Cameo
* Red Cross with Triptych
* Red Cross with Imperial Portraits
* Steel Military
* Order of St. George
* Karelian Birch
* Constellation

Kelch eggs
(1898–1904)|

* Hen
* Twelve Panel
* Pine Cone
* Apple Blossom
* also known as Jade Chest
* Rocaille
* Bonbonnière
* Chanticleer

Other Fabergé eggs|

* Blue Striped Enamel [ru]
* Clock [hy]
* Duchess of Marlborough
* also known as Pink Serpent
* Gorbachev Peace
* Lapis Lazuli
* Nobel's Ice Egg
* Resurrection
* Rose Quartz
* Rothschild
* Scandinavian
* also known as Quisling
* Spring Flowers
* Twilight [ru]
* Youssoupov [ru]

Fabergé workmasters|

* August Wilhelm Holmström
* Michael Perkhin
* Alma Pihl
* Henrik Wigström
* Victor Mayer

Related|

* Peter Carl Fabergé
* House of Fabergé
* Fabergé Museum (Baden-Baden)
* Fabergé Museum (Saint Petersburg)

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