First Hen Egg
Gold, enamel, and, rubies; egg length 6.4 cm; hen length 3.5 cm
by House of Fabergé, and attributed to Erik Kollin, 1885
Fabergé Museum, Saint Petersburg
Photograph by Mikhail Ovchinnikov, 2013

The First Hen Egg marked the beginning of a series that would span over three decades. Commissioned by Tsar Alexander III as a surprise Easter gift for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna, the creation was designed to resemble a simple white enamel egg. Upon opening, a mechanism revealed a matte golden yolk. This yolk, in turn, concealed a further surprise: a gold hen with ruby eyes nestled on a bed of golden straw. This seemingly ordinary farmyard scene held a secret – a miniature diamond replica of the Imperial crown was hidden within the hen, opened by lifting its beak. The crown contained a small ruby pendant, though the current whereabouts of these last two items are unknown, and have only been seen in an old photograph. The ingenuity of the design of this egg, with its layered surprises, is believed to have greatly impressed the Empress. This initial success secured Fabergé's place as the Imperial jeweller and led to the creation of over 50 jewelled eggs for the Russian Tsars. Each subsequent egg presented a unique challenge and opportunity for Fabergé's artisans to display their skills and creativity. The tradition continued until the tumultuous events of the early 20th century forced its cessation.