The Hen Egg was the First of the Imperial eggs crafted by the House of Faberge in 1885. Tsar Alexander III presented it to Tsarina Maria Feodorovna on Easter. Within the white enamel shell is a removable gold yolk which separates to reveal a gold hen with ruby eyes. When the beak of the hen was pushed there was another surprise of a ruby egg pendant within a diamond replica of the Imperial crown. This piece's whereabouts are now unknown.
Each Easter a new egg was created, each more remarkably detailed, jeweled encrusted and surprising than the last.
Lillies of the Valley Egg, Easter 1898
Inspired by Tsarina Alexandra's favorite flower.
My favorite of the Imperial Eggs-The Orange Tree or Bay tree Egg. Presented by Tsar Nicholas II to the Dowager Empress on Easter 1911. A Silver key opened the surprise within the top of the jewel dusted topiary. Within the leaves was a winding mechanism, a portion of the tree would rise, music would begin and a Nightingale would appear, chirp along while moving its beak and flapping its wings. When the music stopped the bird descended back into its nest within the top of the topiary egg.
Photos from Forbes
For more information on the history of the Faberge Eggs, seeFaberge's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire
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