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2w ago

Fabergé ‘Winter Egg’ Returns to Auction in London With £20 Million-Plus Estimate

The 1913 masterpiece returns to market under strict buyer screening, with rarity driving expectations.

The Winter Egg by Faberge is displayed at Christie's auction rooms in London, Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, it is expected to sell for in excess of 20 million UK Pounds when it is auctioned on Dec. 2. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
The egg features snowflakes engraved into a quartz exterior and embellished with diamonds.
The "Winter Egg" is estimated to fetch more than £20 million ($26 million).
The tsar Nicholas II, his mother (left) and his four daughters on board the Russian Imperial Yacht in 1911.

Overview

  • Christie’s will offer the Winter Egg in London on December 2 during Classic Week with an estimate in excess of £20 million (about $26 million).
  • Commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II for Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, the piece was designed by Alma Pihl and is one of only seven Imperial eggs still in private hands.
  • The rock crystal egg features platinum snowflake motifs set with roughly 4,500 rose-cut diamonds and a removable basket of quartz flowers as its surprise.
  • It previously set auction records for Fabergé in 1994 and 2002; a result at the current estimate would establish a new high for a Fabergé egg at auction.
  • Christie’s says the sale is subject to its global AML and sanctions compliance program, as market observers highlight U.S. import tariffs and Russia sanctions as constraints on potential buyers.