USA: FABERGE 'WINTER EGG' SELLS FOR RECORD 9.6 MILLION (US) DOLLARS AT CHRISTIE'S.

Record ID: 648086

  • Title: USA: FABERGE 'WINTER EGG' SELLS FOR RECORD 9.6 MILLION (US) DOLLARS AT CHRISTIE'S.
  • Date: 20th April 2002
  • Summary: (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 19, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE 2. AUCTION ROOM 3. 'WINTER EGG' BY FABERGE IN DISPLAY CASE AT FRONT OF ROOM 4. AUCTIONEER CHRISTOPHER BURGE STARTS BIDDING ON 'WINTER EGG' 5. VARIOUS OF BIDDING ON 'WINTER EGG' 6. GAVEL COMES DOWN ON CLOSING BID OF 8,700,000 DOLLARS (US) 7. CURRENCY BOARD SHOWING CLOSING PRICE BEFORE CHRISTIE'S COMMISSION. (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 18, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. VARIOUS OF 'WINTER EGG' 9. VARIOUS OF EGG AND FLOWER BOUQUET THAT FITS INSIDE (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 19, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALEXIS DE TIESENHAUSEN, HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN DEPARTMENT AT CHRISTIE'S SAYING: "Well it was, I was expecting a good price but not such a good price. And I am very happy. Basically we sold it in '94 for 5:5 (Million dollars US). We sold it for twice more, I mean six years after. It's just brilliant. It's the most expensive Faberge item sold in the world. And twice again Christie's got the record." (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 18, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. DATE ON TOP OF EGG 12. 'WINTER EGG' BY FABERGE Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 5th May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVABI3AHU9A68TYIW5ZRQVG7D4YW
  • Story Text: The 'Winter Egg' by Faberge sold for a record price of
    almost 9.6 million dollars at Christie's in New York, topping
    the previous record for a Faberge egg by more than 3 million
    dollars.



    An egg was sold at Christie's auction house in New York
    on Friday (April 19), but this was an egg only a millionaire
    could afford.

    The 'Winter Egg' by Carl Faberge was sold for a record
    9,579,500 dollars (US). Christie's was expecting 4 to 6
    million dollars (US) in their pre-sale estimate. But in the
    auction room, steady bidding from anonymous telephone bidders
    quickly drove the price beyond Christie's estimates.

    When the gavel finally came down after 10 minutes of tense
    bidding, the closing bid was 8.7 million dollars. Adding on
    Christie's premium, or commission, makes the final price of
    9,579,500 dollars (US).

    The 'Winter Egg' already held the record for the most
    expensive Faberge egg when it sold for 5,587,308 dollars (US)
    in 1994.

    Alexis de Tiesenhausen, the head of Christie's Russian
    Department, said he was surprised at how well the bidding
    went.

    "I was expecting a good price but not such a good price.

    And I am very happy. Basically we sold it in '94 for 5.5
    (Million dollars US). We sold it for twice more, I mean six
    years after. It's just brilliant. It's the most expensive
    Faberge item sold in the world. And twice again Christie's got
    the record."
    De Tiesenhausen said the high price for the egg is due to
    the limited availability of Faberge Eggs on the market. Most
    of them, said de Tiesenhausen, have been acquired by private
    institutions or museums around the world.

    De Tiesenhausen would not reveal the buyer of the 'Winter
    Egg.'
    The 'Winter Egg' is made of finely carved, transparent
    rock crystal, hinged to encase a small Easter bouquet. The egg
    features diamond borders with platinum, crystal shaped inlays
    to simulate ice crystals. In total the egg is encrusted with
    over 3,000 diamonds and rose-cut diamonds. A cabochon
    moonstone rests on top of the egg marking the date it was
    created, 1913.

    The egg sits on a crystal base, also adorned with platinum
    decorations, and fitting inside the egg is the platinum Easter
    basket with flowers gold, garnets, and crystals. The basket is
    meant to symbolize the transition of winter to spring.

    Altogether, taking into account the egg, the base and the
    basket, there are over 4,300 diamonds, of which 360 are
    diamonds and the rest 'rose-cut' diamonds.

    The 'Winter Egg' was made by Carl Faberge in 1913, the
    jeweler to the Russian Imperial Family for Tsar Nicholas ll.

    The egg was presented as a dowager from Tsar Nicholas ll to
    Empress Maria Feodorovna.

    At an average price of $2 per dozen real eggs, the
    bejeweled 'Winter Egg' is worth almost five million real eggs,
    though Christie's prefers to accept wire transfers or
    cashier's checks.






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