Duchess of Marlborough (Fabergé egg)
Encyclopedia
The Duchess of Marlborough
egg (also known as the Pink Serpent egg) is a jewelled
enameled
Easter egg
made by Michael Perchin
under the supervision of the Russia
n jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé
in 1902.
The Duchess of Marlborough egg is the only large Fabergé Easter egg to have been commissioned by an American, and is inspired by a Louis XVI
clock with a revolving dial. It is similar to the 1887 Blue Serpent Clock egg
.
, who became the Duchess of Marlborough when she married Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough
in 1895.
In 1902 the Duchess and her husband travelled to Russia, where they dined with Nicholas II of Russia
, and visited his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna at the Anichkov Palace
. During this visit the Duchess would have almost certainly seen the Dowager Empress' large collection of Fabergé, which perhaps inspired her to order this egg.
The egg is believed to have cost over 5,000 rubles.
After her divorce from the Duke of Marlborough, Vanderbilt donated the Duchess of Marlborough egg to a charity auction in 1926. The egg was bought by Ganna Walska
, the second wife of Harold Fowler McCormick
, chairman of the International Harvester Company of Chicago
. At the 1965 Parke-Bernet
auction of her property, it was bought by Malcolm Forbes
. It was the first Fabergé Easter egg that Forbes purchased.
In 2004 it was sold as part of Forbes Collection to Viktor Vekselberg
. Vekselberg purchased some nine Imperial eggs, as part of the collection, for almost $100 million.
Consuelo Vanderbilt
Consuelo Balsan , was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family...
egg (also known as the Pink Serpent egg) is a jewelled
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
enameled
Vitreous enamel
Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C...
Easter egg
Easter egg
Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime.The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans...
made by Michael Perchin
Michael Perchin
Michael Evlampievich Perchin was born in Petrozavodsk and died in St. Petersburg. He was one of the most important Fabergé workmasters next to Henrik Wigström. Perchin became the leading workmaster in the House of Fabergé in 1886 and supervised production of the eggs until his death in 1903...
under the supervision of the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé
Peter Carl Fabergé
Peter Karl Fabergé also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé in Russia was a Russian jeweller of Baltic German-Danish and French origin, best known for the famous Fabergé eggs, made in the style of genuine Easter eggs, but using precious metals and gemstones rather than more mundane materials.-Early...
in 1902.
The Duchess of Marlborough egg is the only large Fabergé Easter egg to have been commissioned by an American, and is inspired by a Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
clock with a revolving dial. It is similar to the 1887 Blue Serpent Clock egg
Blue Serpent Clock (Fabergé egg)
The Blue Serpent Clock Egg is a Tsar Imperial Fabergé egg, one of a series of fifty-two jeweled eggs made under the supervision of Peter Carl Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family. This is the first of the Imperial Fabergé eggs to feature a clock, and is a design that Fabergé copied for his...
.
History
The egg was made for Consuelo VanderbiltConsuelo Vanderbilt
Consuelo Balsan , was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family...
, who became the Duchess of Marlborough when she married Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough
Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough
Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , styled Earl of Sunderland until 1883 and Marquess of Blandford between 1883 and 1892, was a British soldier and Conservative politician...
in 1895.
In 1902 the Duchess and her husband travelled to Russia, where they dined with Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
, and visited his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna at the Anichkov Palace
Anichkov Palace
Anichkov Palace is a former imperial palace in Saint Petersburg, at the intersection of Nevsky Avenue and the Fontanka.-History:The palace, situated on the plot formerly owned by Antonio de Vieira, takes its name from the nearby Anichkov Bridge across the Fontanka...
. During this visit the Duchess would have almost certainly seen the Dowager Empress' large collection of Fabergé, which perhaps inspired her to order this egg.
The egg is believed to have cost over 5,000 rubles.
After her divorce from the Duke of Marlborough, Vanderbilt donated the Duchess of Marlborough egg to a charity auction in 1926. The egg was bought by Ganna Walska
Ganna Walska
Ganna Walska born Hanna Puacz was a Polish opera singer and garden enthusiast who created the Lotusland botanical gardens...
, the second wife of Harold Fowler McCormick
Harold Fowler McCormick
Harold Fowler McCormick, Sr. was chairman of the board of International Harvester Company.-Biography:He was born on May 2, 1872, the sixth child of Cyrus McCormick, inventor and manufacturer of the mechanical reaper; and Nancy Fowler McCormick.He graduated from Princeton University in 1895...
, chairman of the International Harvester Company of Chicago
International Harvester
International Harvester Company was a United States agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1902, J.P...
. At the 1965 Parke-Bernet
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
auction of her property, it was bought by Malcolm Forbes
Malcolm Forbes
Malcolm Stevenson Forbes was publisher of Forbes magazine, founded by his father B. C. Forbes and today run by his son Steve Forbes.-Life and career:...
. It was the first Fabergé Easter egg that Forbes purchased.
In 2004 it was sold as part of Forbes Collection to Viktor Vekselberg
Viktor Vekselberg
Viktor Felixovich Vekselberg is the owner and president of Renova Group, a large Russian conglomerate.-Business empire:Victor Vekselberg was born in 1957 in Western Ukraine. He graduated from the Moscow Transportation Engineering Institute in 1979...
. Vekselberg purchased some nine Imperial eggs, as part of the collection, for almost $100 million.
External links
- A detailed article on the 'Duchess of Marlborough' egg, from treasuresofimperialrussia.com