Pansy Faberge Egg – The Hidden Jewel

Facts You Must Know about the Pansy Faberge Egg

The Pansy Faberge egg is one of the most popular symbols of the Russian dynasty because of its beauty, details, and history. However, many people don’t know about it and never get to understand the historical importance of this artifact.

Origins of the Spinach Egg

Also known as the Spinach egg, the Pansy Faberge egg is one of the eggs from the Russian empire. It’s a beautiful original Faberge egg made of nephrite. Around its sides, you’ll see five pansies with enameled petals and leaves.

The egg points down, and it’s in a silver stand. If you lift the nephrite top, it’ll reveal the egg’s surprise. Just as other Faberge eggs, the Pansy has become a symbol of wealth, power, splendor, and the Romanov dynasty in popular culture.

However, the exact weight and size of the Pansy egg are unknown. Nonetheless, it’s still one of the original Faberge objects that remain intact to this day.

Who Created Pansy Faberge egg?

Tsar Nicholas II commissioned it in 1899 as an Easter gift for Dowager Empress Maria Feodoronova, his mother. It’s one of the only two eggs that have an Art Noveau style, and Peter Carl Faberge was the one to oversee its design and construction.

Michael Evlampievich Perkhin was the jeweler who made the egg. He was born in the now-Republica of Karelia. Perkhin was one of the two leading jewelers in the house of Faberge, and he created the Pansy for Maria.

Impact on the Faberge Field

Each Faberge egg has impacted the field differently. You can’t see all of them today – a few of them have gotten lost while others are in private collections.

In this case, the artist made sure that the surprise inside the Pansy egg was special. Therefore, he included different details.

The Pansy Faberge egg has a gold easel with a star of Bethlehem made of diamonds, which is inside a beautiful wreath.

Moreover, gold torch and floral motifs embellish the easel, along with some pearls and gems. After a closer look at the egg, you’ll find a heart-shaped plaque on a sunray background, with rose diamonds on the sides.

The Romanov crown is also in diamonds. Then, this real Faberge egg also has 11 strawberry translucent gold covers. Each of them has a monogram, and they’re connected by a diamond ‘M.’

If you press a button on this authentic Faberge egg, the covers open all at the same time. You’ll see miniatures of the imperial family, specifically the following:

• Grand Dukes George and Alexander, on the first column.
• The Tsar and Grand Duchess Irina, in the second column.
• Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana and grand Duke Michael, on the third column.
• The Tsarina and Grand Duke Andrew, on the fourth column.
• Grand Duchesses Olga Alexandrovna and Xenia, on the fifth column.

Where Can You Find the Pansy Egg Today?

The Pansy Faberge egg is one of the only two ones made in an Art Noveau style – the other one was the Lillies of the Valley egg from 1898.

Although you can see many of these Russian eggs in collections today, this is not one of them. The Pansy Faberge is one of the 10 the Russian Antikvariat sold in 1930.

You can’t physically visit the Pansy Faberge egg today because it’s in a private collection. The Hammer Galleries in New York bought it in 1930, then sold it to Matilda Geddings Gray in 1947, a New Orleans oil heiress.

Geddings gave the real Faberge egg to her niece, Matilda Gray Stream as a wedding present. Therefore, its value and exact location remain unknown because it’s one of the few exemplars to belong to a specific person.

Final Thoughts

Faberge eggs are a symbol of the Russian empire and the skill of the jewelers of the time. Because of this, in popular culture, they have become priceless treasures to steal, hunt, and admire.

Different television series have had Faberge eggs as part of their plot. Nowadays, not many people get to see the real ones. If you’re a fan of them, you may want to know where they are or buy replicas.

Although you can’t see the Pansy Faberge egg, on our website, you can get replicas of other Faberge eggs. Visit our store and have fun buying yours!