The Kelch Hen egg is a jewelled, enameled
Easter egg that was made in
St. Petersburg between 1898 and 1903 under the supervision of
Michael Perkhin
Michael Evlampievich Perkhin (russian: Михаи́л Евла́мпиевич Пе́рхин) (1860-1903) was an Imperial Russian jeweler. Born in Okulovskaya in Olonets Governorate (now Republic of Karelia), he moved to St. Petersburg, he j ...
, on behalf of the Russian jeweler
Peter Carl Fabergé
Peter Carl Fabergé, also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé (russian: Карл Гу́ставович Фаберже́, ''Karl Gustavovich Faberzhe''; 30 May 1846 – 24 September 1920), was a Russian jewellery, jeweller best known for the fam ...
. It was made for the Russian industrialist
Alexander Ferdinandovich Kelch, who presented the egg to his wife, Barbara Kelch-Bazanova. It is thought to be the first of the seven eggs that, every year from 1898 to 1904, were ordered by Alexander Kelch and made by Michael Perkhin, Fabergé master goldsmith at the time, frequently inspired by the imperial eggs.
The egg opens in half lengthwise, and is made from gold, translucent red enamel, opaque white enamel, and matte yellow enamel. It features rose-cut and portrait diamonds, with a suede lining. A monogram of the year 1898 and a miniature portrait of
Tsar Nicholas II appear under the two largest diamonds.
The yellow yolk "surprise" opens to reveal a miniature hen, crafted from gold and white and brown enamel. An additional miniature easel "surprise" from inside the hen is composed from gold, rose-cut diamonds, cabochon ruby, and watercolor paint, possibly atop ivory.
The easel's frame now contains a miniature portrait of
Alexei Nikolaevich
Alexei Nikolaevich (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Никола́евич) (12 August .S. 30 July1904 – 17 July 1918) was the last Tsesarevich (heir apparent to the throne of the Russian Empire). He was the youngest child and only son of ...
wearing the uniform of the
Rifle Regiment (4th Brigade) of the Russian Imperial Guard. This portrait purportedly replaced one of Barbara Kelch-Bazanova in the 1930s, while the portrait of his father may have replaced one of Alexander Kelch.
After the
October Revolution
The October Revolution,. officially known as the Great October Socialist Revolution. in the Soviet Union, also known as the Bolshevik Revolution, was a revolution in Russia led by the Bolshevik Party of Vladimir Lenin that was a key moment ...
of 1917, the egg was offered for sale with five other Kelch Fabergé eggs by a Paris jeweler in 1920. It has passed through several private collections, including that of
Forbes Magazine, but is now held by the
Fabergé Museum
The Fabergé Museum is a privately owned museum located in the German spa city of Baden-Baden, dedicated to items made by the Russian jewellery firm Fabergé. It was opened by Russian art collector Alexander Ivanov on 9 May 2009. It is owned by ...
in Saint Petersburg.
The detachable six-footed gold stand the egg is displayed on is not original to the object. The stand, made from varicolored gold and decorated with diamond-set floral swags, was ordered by King
Farouk of Egypt some time in the mid-20th century when he was the owner of the egg.
References
Additional Sources
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Kelch Fabergé eggs
1898 works
Fabergé Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia
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