Faberge Eggs (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "It is fitting that the First Imperial Egg should, at least first glance, so resemble a real hen's egg..." (more)
Key Phrases: imperial eggs, chased gold, enamel work, Czar Nicholas, Workmaster Michael Perchin, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Featuring forty-eight magnificent close-up views of each piece, a collection of stunning photographs and informative essays shows the variety of original variations of the "shells" of the Faberge+a7 eggs, as well as the delightful surprises hidden inside.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Universe; 1st Edition. edition (September 8, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0883630907
• ISBN-13: 978-0883630907
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #728,479 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully photographed and intelligently described, May 11, 2000

By	"mcaliman" (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

This book is worthwhile whether the reader wants an introduction to Faberge easter eggs or is already familiar with these masterpieces. It provides a history of Peter Carl Faberge and his works. It includes photographs of forty easter eggs, most of them being the Imperial easter eggs which were gifts from Alexander III and Nicholas II to their wives or the dowager empress. Other less well known but also spectacular eggs are included. The photographs show the eggs and surprises to their best advantage. The corresponding descriptions provide information about the significance of each egg. There were some eggs in this book that I had never seen in other books, including Imperial easter eggs that apparently have not been part of recent museum tours. I first bought the Christopher Forbes book in paperback, but returned it because I was disappointed with it. I will be keeping this one.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Faberge, August 30, 2005

By	D. C. Taylor "History Enthusiast" (Hastings New Zealand) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having just recently been in the Armoury at the Kremlin and seeing the Faberge Eggs they have there and being absolutely blown away by them I was very pleased to be able to purchase this book even though is was the 1990 edition.
The book shows the eggs in close up often with the fancy inside shown in more detail and a small essay on each one, how it was made and the significance of what it portrays.
They are the most fabulous things not neccessarily because of the jewels involved (which are just wonderful) but mainly because of the incredible workmanship involved in the mechanics of them I can never forget the Trans Siberian Egg with the little solid gold five carriage and engine train which goes by clockwork!
The book was just great especially showing eggs I haven't seen if you are interested in these extraordinary eggs I recommend it to you wholeheartedly.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Peter Carl Fabergé, January 7, 2008

By	Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Gratefully this very well written and designed volume 'Fabergé Eggs' by Susanna Pfeffer is back in circulation. It celebrates the fantasy of art for the particular audience of Czarist Russia from 1885 to the decline of the Czars, but as with all true art the legend and the art lives on.

Though most everyone knows about the creations of Peter Carl Fabergé of the House of Fabergé who created the first Russian Easter Egg in 1885, few will have seen the extent of the genre as published in this book. Susanna Pfeffer provides an informative introduction about the history of the first Egg and then follows the prominence of the strange and beautiful art form through the awards bestowed at the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris where the Imperial Eggs were on display for the first time outside the palaces. She then follows her survey of Russian history with full page color photographs of forty of the eggs accompanied by a brief but interesting capsule of history of each egg's creation and meaning. The Eggs themselves are shown in dazzling color with some of the eggs 'inner secrets' shared on separate pages: fold out screens of military conquests, small crowned hens of gold and rubies, portraits etc) allow the reader to know more about each egg than the casual museum goer.

This book is well designed and on fine paper and is the best of the 'affordable' books on this fascinating interplay of art and politics! Worth scouting around to find a copy before they disappear again. Grady Harp, January 08