A breathtakingly lavish Fabergé egg, originally crafted as an Easter gift for the mother of Russia's last tsar, has shattered world auction records by selling for £22,895,000 at Christie's in London.
A Frosty Masterpiece of Imperial Opulence
Known as The Winter Egg, this exquisite object was commissioned in 1913 by Emperor Nicholas II for his mother, the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. It stands as one of the most opulent creations ever produced by the legendary House of Fabergé for the Russian imperial family.
The egg is meticulously carved from rock crystal. Its interior is engraved with a delicate frost pattern, while the exterior is adorned with platinum snowflake motifs, each set with sparkling rose-cut diamonds. This combination creates a mesmerising evocation of a winter landscape.
Auction History and a Staggering New Record
The sale on Tuesday, 2nd December 2025, demolished the previous world auction record for a Fabergé work by more than £13 million. The old record of £8.9 million had been held since 2007 by the Rothschild Egg.
Remarkably, this is the third time the Winter Egg itself has set a record price at auction. Margo Oganesian, Christie’s head of department for Fabergé and Russian works of art, stated: "Today’s result sets a new world auction record for a work by Fabergé, reaffirming the enduring significance of this masterpiece."
She emphasised the rarity of the opportunity, noting that only a handful of imperial Easter eggs remain in private hands, making this an exceptional and historic moment for collectors.
A Tumultuous Journey Through History
The egg's journey through the 20th century mirrors the upheavals of Russian history. After the 1917 Revolution, it was moved from St Petersburg to the Kremlin Armoury in Moscow with other royal treasures.
In the 1920s, the Soviet government sold off many art treasures. The Winter Egg was acquired by the London antique dealer Wartski for just £450, before being sold to a British collector in 1934 for £1,500.
Its whereabouts were unknown for two decades from 1975 until 1994, when it re-emerged at Christie's and sold for a then-record 7.26 million Swiss francs. It set another record at Christie's in 2002 for $9.58 million, prior to its latest, history-making sale.
The monumental price achieved in London underscores the enduring global fascination with Fabergé's imperial craftsmanship and the powerful stories embedded within these unique objects of art and history.
