Thursday, December 20, 2012

Mastery of Design: Queen Mary's Christmas Egg, c. 1900

Egg of Enamel, Diamonds, Gold, Rubies and Emeralds
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II



This egg of cream guilloché enamel is set with a diamond band around the middle and features an upper section adorned with ribbon swags. The lower portion is set with heart trophies of rubies and emeralds. A gold ring allows for hanging from a gold stand with a circular base chased with a spiral pattern.

This beautiful object was a gift to Queen Mary, consort of King George V, for Christmas of 1927. It was given to her by Prince David (later, briefly, King Edward VIII, and, then Duke of Windsor); “Bertie,” a.k.a. Prince Albert George (later King George VI); Elizabeth, the Duchess of York (later, Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother); Princess Mary and Harry Lascelles and their children. Though it looks like Fabergé, it’s actually the work of Dreyfous of 128 Mount St., London.

The egg itself dates to about 1900.


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