The jewelry company Fabergé is best known for their jewel-covered eggs. In fact, many of the company’s current creationsfeature egg-shaped designs. Fabergé began as a jewelry shop founded by Gustav Fabergé in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1842. Gustav’s son, Peter Carl Fabergé, took over the shop in 1882.
While the company was already making beautiful creations, 1885 was a significant year for the company. That year, Emperor Alexander III asked Fabergé to make an egg as an Easter gift for his wife. Known as the Hen Egg, it had a white outer shell and contained a golden yolk, a golden hen, a miniaturecopy of the royal crown, and a precious ruby.
Alexander III paidcareful attention to the design of the first egg. He and his wife were so pleased withit that the workers at Fabergé weregiven permission to freely design all future eggs for the family.But Alexander III did have certain requirements. All of the eggs needed to be unique, and they also needed to have a surprise hidden inside. In total, the Russian royal family ordered 50 ImperialEaster Eggs to be made.
