The Lost Treasures of the Russian Revolution
In 1917, the Russian Revolution led to the theft of priceless Fabergé eggs from the Russian royalty and nobility. Many of these exquisite pieces of art were lost, their whereabouts unknown to this day.
The Unexpected Discovery of a Missing Fabergé Egg
Fast forward to 2004, an anonymous scrap metal dealer stumbled upon a peculiar jeweled egg at a bric-a-brac market in the U.S. Midwest. Assuming it was worth $15,000, he purchased it for $13,302. However, he was unable to sell it, and thus, the egg sat idle for a decade.
The Revelation of the Egg’s True Identity
Driven by curiosity, the dealer eventually conducted some research and discovered that the egg contained a watch engraved with the name “Vacheron Constantin.” This led him to an article with a picture of the egg, and he realized that he had the 1887 Third Imperial Egg, one of the missing Fabergé eggs.
The Confirmation and Sale of the Fabergé Egg
He contacted Kieran McCarthy, a Fabergé expert at Wartski, the royally appointed jewelers of the Queen and Prince of Wales. After McCarthy flew to the U.S., he confirmed the egg’s identity and it was purchased on behalf of a private collector for an undisclosed amount. The egg is estimated to be worth at least $30 million, making it one of the most expensive Fabergé egg prices ever recorded.
The Lesson from the Fabergé Egg Story
It is incredible to think that this historic egg was nearly melted down for scrap! It serves as a reminder to State Street Gold & Apparel customers to come in for a quote on their jewelry and other items. For more information, email us at info@sellgoldjewelryrockford.com or call (815) 977-4442.
