Which jeweler created the first Imperial Easter Egg for Russian Emperor Alexander III in 1885?

Peter Carl Fabergé created the first Imperial Easter Egg for Russian Emperor Alexander III in 1885.

Alexander III commissioned the egg as an Easter gift for his wife, Empress Maria Feodorovna. The piece, known as the Hen Egg, had a white enamel shell containing a golden yolk, a miniature golden hen, and a tiny replica of the imperial crown and pendant.

The gift began a celebrated series of Imperial Easter Eggs made by Fabergé’s workshop for the Russian imperial family. The eggs were usually presented at Easter and often concealed elaborate surprises inside. Alexander III’s son, Nicholas II, continued the tradition for his mother and wife.

Fabergé did not personally make every component. Skilled craftsmen working in his firm produced the jewels, enamels, precious-metal settings, and miniature mechanisms. The eggs are often called “Fabergé eggs,” but only some were made specifically for the imperial family.