Why Fabergé eggs are eggs
There's a reason and they called her DAGMAR.
More info and sources at bottom.
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^ Book review. Good book for such a poppy subject. Tough for me to judge the sources though, because of language issues. The whole thing made me kinda sad. But it served as a good refresher course on the Tsar drama of 1850-1917. I suppose it was definitely more historical than technical or artistic in nature.
The Danish egg:
www.kongernessamling.dk/en/am...
Rough assassination account:
www.google.com/books/edition/...
Basically it's the classic version of Kinder Egg 🤔
I wonder if people in 1900 talked about the irony of the US allowing Maxim guns but outlawing Fabergé eggs. 🤔😁
Now I’m just imagining the parchment paper instructions with gold leaf, bold colours and knights fighting snails 😅
And yet nobody has combined the fabulousness of these golden eggs with the deliciousness of Kinder chocolate and created Kinder-Fabergé
yes
Classics…with diamonds and gold
I think it's because they are yummy
some of the interiors are lost to this day (probably chocolate)
My favorite fabrege egg would be the trans siberian railway egg, inside it has a mini locomotive made of platinum and gold that you can wind up. I would imagine Alexei having a lot of fun with the train.
Some of the real Eggs had clockwork, too? I really should look up more about these.
Check out the memory of Azov egg from 1891. That’s a real beautiful piece, with an excellently recreated ship of the same name as the surprise piece.
@@kinyutaka The surprise in the diamond trellis egg was a wind up elephant. The surprise in the swan egg is a wind up swan. The surprise in the peacock egg is a wind up peacock. You’d be surprised how skilled these craftsman were, there’s some really cool stuff inside the eggs.
@@henrylivingstone2971 Yeah, always wondered how those craftsmen were able to make such a small wind up train with. Azov egg is definetly the best from these replies
@@Hiroshi-cc8hv I love the memory of Azov egg, one of the best in my opinion. The bloodstone and the gold rocaille scroll work is amazing. But I also like the revolving miniatures, the lilies of the valley, the peacock egg, the trans Siberian, the yacht egg, the winter egg, and the constellation egg.
Faberge eggs, which, I confess, I first learned about from that episode of the Simpsons, first fascinated me once I discovered what they very quickly became; and that is: they are examples of the absolute best of what humanity is able to fabricate once expense is eliminated as a consideration. At the same time, the craft is still bounded by some simple rules: it must be vaguely egg-shaped and egg-sized. And this serves to inspire creativity instead of stifling it. Very few other product realms share these traits; luxury mechanical wristwatches come to mind. I am a hobbyist fabricator. I like to have the ability to create any physical object that a person can imagine. To me, being tasked to make something on the level of a faberge egg would be a dream of a commission. "Don't worry about the cost, just show off your skils and make something that marvels the world." I understand the reaction this inevitably has; that this is a perfect example of oppulence and even waste when juxtaposed with an impoverished and even starving populous, but I do not think that reduces the marvel of the artistry involved in their construction.
Technically not all the eggs are “egg shaped or egg sized” unless ostrich eggs count. Some of the eggs are quite large like the trans Siberian egg or the danish royal which were quite large. Or the Kremlin egg which despite having an egg on the top done is composed of turrets towers and crenellations walls. And is the tallest of the eggs. Some of the eggs don’t even look like eggs like the Bay tree egg also known as the orange tree egg which is composed of Jadeite leaves in a circular shape. Or the constellation egg which is more circular than it is egg shaped.
At the same time as being insulting to the starving populous, it bears little relevance to them: the problem of starvation was fixed with nitrogen fertilizers; throwing more money at the problem would do little to improve it. But i think at the same time the upper classes were buying vast quantities of food to show off a spread then throwing most of it away, pricing the lower classes out of the market.
@@itsgonnabeanaurfromme I blacksmith, I leathercraft, I woodwork, I'm a machinist, I sew, I do moldmaking, pattern-making resin-casting, metal-casting, airbrushing, prosthetic makeup effects, shoemaking, auto-body work, the list goes on. It's easier to refer to myself as "fabricator", there's nothing pretentious about that. None of those skills require the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars needed to afford the precious metals and gems involved in making something at the level of quality of a Faberge egg. If someone was foolish enough to commission me for such an endeavor, I'd be happy to take a stab at it. Otherwise, I have a perfectly long project queue already.
@@itsgonnabeanaurfromme you just sound like you're mad that you're not a fabricator lmao. Learn how to work with your hands instead of typing jealous natured spiteful comments.
I couldnt agree more. The context of them being pompous gifts from one royalty to another is a bummer tbh but that doesnt take anything away from their undeniable beauty. It is truly breathtaking.
I knew about the eggs as imperial Easter gifts, but I didn't know about the bomb history! What I find interesting is that there are so few of these produced - and even less still on display or in private collections around the world. The myth of missing Faberge eggs! How there are some that we have only seen in photos. Very interesting topic - thanks!
I was pretty blown away so many were at the VMFA. Very eclectic locations they ended up at!
@@PhilEdwardsInc your telling mre
My dad used to live in an apartment thet was full of them in the USSR. They where all distroyed by cats
@@bestaqua23 Which country did he live in and which year? Do you think your father or the apartment owner was recreating Faberge Eggs for a particular purpose? As Museums purchase fake ones, as the 50 or so genuine ones that survived made by Carl Faberge, are just that rare/uncommon. And so even when a museums have a Saint Petersburg / Eastern Art exhibition, they use recreations to display. Or what purpose would there be so many, in one location? To sell to gift shops, jewelry stores or something?
@@notsoberoveranalyzer8264 I'm from Russia original and they where not recreations . There where a lower tear gifts the royal family gave there person stuff . My dad use to rent an apartment from a women who was the daughter of one such stuff . This was the early 80 so no one was selling anything . They where just an inherent this women got .
Dagmar is a beautiful danish name 😭 you're just butchering it! I'm a kindergartenteacher in Denmark and my Dagmars can absolutely be princesses if they want that!
Dak'Mar... Sounds like an alien or demon
I completely agree 😂 but then again - the Danish language is not an easy thing to get around without a potato in your mouth!
@@tobiasmosegaardholm9817 the solution is right there! Put a whole potato in your mouth! How do you think I and the rest of us get that (what's the opposite of crisp) pronunciation?
Can you approximate the correct pronunciation for us?
@@kinyutaka Davmar? There's no hard sounds in the name. It's not Dackmarh
Eggs are an amazingly huge symbol of Easter, and Easter is huge in Russian culture. I feel like that's an important part of the story.
for sure
@@PhilEdwardsInc along with Andriy's comment I add: At the time, in Russia, it was mostly Catholic and the Egg symbol was part of the "Rebirth" of Christ/Celebration of the Rising of Christ. So along with bringing happy memories to his wife, he was gifting her a token of Jesus too. Multi layers there for them. My mother used to be into the Egg's as was my grandmother. Which, for them, went along with verdatum's comment: "that this is a perfect example of opulence and even waste when juxtaposed with an impoverished and even starving populous, but I do not think that reduces the marvel of the artistry involved in their construction." When you lose all artistry and human artistic creation, you can dehumanise yourself. Even when starving and under conditions of atrocity. You got a Sub. :)
One of the surprises in the eggs are a direct reference to the resurrection of Christ. The prize in the Renaissance egg is what was once known as the resurrection egg. Encrusted in pearls and enamel and enclosed in an egg shaped dome of rock crystal the prize was a diorama of the risen Jesus.
@@VesnaVK thank you. lol, I thought I was wrong there, so I appreciate that.
Russia back then in 19th century was very and I mean very religious so it probably felt like Easter all year long )
I thought faberge was a material or brand name (like Prada) and that Faberge eggs were still being made and were just really delicate. Honestly surprised I never looked further into it since I usually enjoy researching things, but I'm glad I stumbled on this video. Cleared up my ignorance and made the items a lot more interesting.
Faberge is the name of the company
I'll be damned. It's someone's name. I thought it was a literal French or Latin word
It’s kinda endearing that the ultimate goal was to reaffirm the image of Danish eggs as things of joy for Princess Dagmar
That was a lovely story beautifully told by you. You should find a way to revisit it around Easter time next year.
Maybe a short then.
Lovely backstory to a troubled past. You find the most interesting book choices. Never thought a KZheadr would be my go-to for reading inspiration, but here we are. Keep 'em coming please.
It's not too far fetched to see a connection to kinder eggs? Which, btw, are kind of fascinating! My niece gets them on occasion and the quality of the little toy inside is always remarkable. Especially compared to other similaly sized toys that are almost always made in China, these little treasures are German made and extremely detailed, often with tiny moving parts. Almost like little plastic automata. And yes, it's my job to assemble them but I thoroughly enjoy it!
apparently kinder eggs are part of their own whole Italian tradition!
I'll have you know that Dagmar is a perfectly good danish princess name
Phil, you do a fabulous job of wrapping up your videos in a heartfelt, meaningful way! I'm new to this channel, but definitely will be watching more! Thank you;
I always wanted those Faberge eggs when you complete an egg hunt on their official egg hunt event they used to have. I was happy to get one on the last egg hunt they ever had.
I come from the same perspective as you, imagining hollow gestures, having too much money and no way to spend it, etc. But that's honestly a very heartfelt origin.
LOVED to learn more about this topic and find your independent channel. Great content
This was my intro to your channel. I really enjoyed your storytelling and B-roll. You made Faberge eggs wonderfully interesting
This continues to be one of my favorite KZhead channels.
For what it's worth, Dagmar is actually pronounced more like Dawmar.
Not in Germany!
@@haileybalmer9722 we're not in Deutschland and neither were the Princess during any part of the story. Changing proper names in translation is often insulting and mostly wrong
No it’s not? It’s more pronounced da-guttural g-mar. So da-ch-mar almost?
Dau-mar or Dawmar is not a bad sounding name - Dach-mar is - and while Queen Dagmar was German before she married a Dane (Valdemar II), her descendant princess Dagmar was born a Dane.
Good overview of Faberge! Parts I think you could have included: Missing eggs, fake Faberge eggs and the story of one of the missing eggs being found by a scrap metal guy in the US.
crazy!
It's rare that the opening hook gets my interest and like before even clicking on fullscreen. Cool story, thanks for sharing!
Yess my favourite series why "thing" is "thing"-shaped
Always looking for more!
I was literally wondering this yesterday. Glad there’s a well sourced and nuanced video about it! Subscribed.
Thank you for that! I thought that was very informative. Keep up the good work.
Subscribed after the fist video I watched. Loved your take on this element of history. So personal. So human.
I appreciate your content. I connect to it for whatever reason. Well done on the video just subbed. Keep it original well done
Lovely video as always, Phil!
The last Fabrige egg made was intended as a gift for the Russian Royal family, but never delivered, as they were somewhat indisposed in a basement at the time.
Love your videos! Always great work!
Hearing the story of the Eggs really puts into context this one movie from Japan. It's called Detective Conan: Last Wizard of the Century. In the story, a Febrege Egg, titled Memories, is uncovered, which leads the detectives to a castle built in Japan by the last surviving member of the Russian Royal Family. The egg is described as two eggs in one, with a clockwork figure of Czar Nicholas looking at a photo album with his children, and when set in a pedestal under the castle, it projected photographs of the family onto the walls. Learning that all the eggs were similarly special to their recipients in real life is heartwarming.
wow this sounds crazy but kinda cool
@@PhilEdwardsInc It's a great movie.
@@kinyutaka That’s a really weird plot. Why would the Romanovs or the Russians for any matter build a castle in Japan? If anything animosity between the Japanese empire and the Russian empire were extremely high considering they had fought a major war that resulted in a Russian defeat. Also the fact that Nicholas was almost murdered whilst on tour in Japan. So it’s unlikely that the Romanovs would’ve seemed refuge in Japan after the revolution especially when they had family in England and Denmark. Though their invitation to the UK was rescinded following anti monarchy protests.
@@henrylivingstone2971 it is a movie made by the Japanese, so take that what you will. The descendant character is the great granddaughter of "Maria Kousaka", who is revealed to be "Maria Romanov". Her husband, Kiichi Kousaka, was a craftsman in the Fabergé company, and he built the castle to resemble German architecture as a way of honoring Maria's mother, Empress Alexandra. Naturally, this is an alternate history, based on the long rumors that at least one of the Royal Family survived. It is a great story, nothing more.
@@henrylivingstone2971 and the antagonist of the movie is a serial killer who likes to shoot people's right eye. Not going to spoil but this method of killing is an act of revenge to what happened to the killer's ancestor, who also played a great part in Romanov history and the Russian Revolution.
Lovely touching video about eggs!😭❤️ learned something new this morning, and have a greater appreciation for faberge eggs ❤
This was a really interesting video, thanks Phil!
What a pleasant surprise to see the VMFA pop up in a video! I grew up around RVA and took art classes there as a teenager. I've moved away and in all the art videos I've watched, the VMFA has never popped up. It's a small but charming museum. I totally forgot about their Faberge eggs. I remember thinking it was so weird they had them.
it is weird! they have sooo many
I've always loved visiting the eggs there, you can feel the love between the family in that room, and it's always stuck out to me as an odd but touching display.
VMFA also has divine equine art!!!
this was so professionally done! I'm surprised you don't have more subscribers.
this was entertaining... your detailing, your opinions open our minds...
So delighted to find your channel! Yes! Subscribed w/ joy!
thanks!
I have watched many, many valuable videos and have never written a comment in my life, and this is my first time. Seriously, I amazed with every thing in this video, the music you put in, the words you sayed, the photos you showed and literally everything!😢❤️❤️ I’m really speechless and there’s no words can explain how I felt about this. I’m also impressed that how you summed all this book and it’s talks in a very amazing way🥹❤️. I literally focused In every second in this video and I replayed some parts too many times until I had a deep understanding, and that because I really liked it and i wanted to understand it verybad and also because I am not very good at English, I really hope you put an Arabic subtitles soon. Thank you for everything you did💗 - your fan from Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦🤍
Just found you through 1440, and I love that you're doing a personal series like this! Keep up the great work. And thank you for including your source(s) too. I really enjoy having recommendations to learn more about a subject (rather than blind googling).
thanks and thanks for lettin' me know about the 1440 thing! Yeah with this one the sources were pretty simple - I try to include them when I nerd out on stuff too though.
@Potato I think it's just a daily briefing/news summary type newsletter.
This is your most beautiful video yet. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes. I think it's as close to perfect an episode can be.!
Thank you for posting this enlightening clip on the history of “the egg”.
A surprisingly cool video! Didn't think I would be so into this!
Thank you for the video Phil Edwards!
thanks for watchin'!
You can't make a Faberge omelet without breaking Faberge eggs.
One of my favorite moments on the podcast How Did This Get Made was when the guest Jessica St. Clair very confidently said her grandma in south Philly had a bunch of Faberge eggs. I think she meant something like Precious Moments Figurines but I just love the idea of one of these literal gems being in some granny's china cabinet.
I love all of your videos Phil, please keep it up!
Dagmar is a much softer name in Danish. Pronounced more like Daumah
Dahmer?
@@mattwardproductions7399 Dahmer sounds more like the German pronunciation of Dagmar, the Da part like Dahmer than a soft g , the next a like the a from Dahmer again ,with a soft r at the end
@@mattwardproductions7399 not really no
this was fabulous. thanks, PE. 🥚💝
🥚👑
Great and interesting history Phil. Thanks, I am enjoying your Videos.
thank you!
Phil this was a eggcelent video, thank you for fantastic content
Damn, never thought I would stay to the very end. I really love how something that appears to be just senseless jewelry is actually a lovely gift from a husband to his wife. You really managed to make this very interesting (and funny Russian accent). Here, take my subscription.
thank you!
Hey, I follow you in Vox and I'm glad that you have your own channel now, delivering interesting topics using your own distinct style. This Fabergé story proves just that. 😊
thanks!
I actually like that, to give her something good with eggs to not poison her entire memory of them
I actually know a Dagmar. I had no idea she had a princess namesake!
Subscribed! I could not be happier to have found your channel Phil! Kept seeing VOX but didn't know you had your own channel!!! So excited to go through your backlog. I am a fanatic for useless information!😂❤
thanks a lot! i think i can help you out on the useless information front :)
Very surprised. Thank you for the info and new sub.
I live right around the corner from the VMFA. Very cool video!
This video felt like the intro to a long documentary in all the best ways.
Cool and very interesting. Or as someone already put it: Eggcellent content as always =)
Interesting. I came upon this video because I am starting to experiment with enamelling. But the historical aspect is great too. Thanks, well done!
bravo on the enameling! very cool, seems super tricky
Got to see the eggs just this past weekend at the same Fine Arts Museum in Richmond. Was beautiful to see in person.
and I've loved your content for many years. Great job in story telling, editing. People don't understand the time involved. Kudos!
I especially enjoyed how you convinced me to like and subscribe BEFORE your Ferris Bueller impression. Very clever!
Also great video! Really enjoyed the content and commentary.
Just like Ferris, I'm a prankster.
Beautifully done.
I totally thought I was already subscribed to you, like, "I could've sworn I've been watching your vids already" and remembered you at Vox. Subscribed now lol
Wow your videos are just so much fun. I love the little inserts like the Russian accent, that quickie AI image, the 1800s chaos monster.
Thank you, very interesting. I’ve always loved Faberge Eggs.
That was really beautiful, thank you
I’ve wondered this myself, so I’m watching with interest
"Things got crazy" understatement of the century. If you want to be shocked look into the history of that war. Absolutely brutal.
NEWSFLASH War is brutal
I've learned a bunch about these eggs before, but didn't know about the repetition of the original egg, cool stuff
Lovely. After seeing the Faberge exhibit in London last March, this added meaning.
this video feels far more eloquent and I'm not quite sure why, but thank you
This is a really interesting and informative video. Thank you very much and I'm glad I found your channel. Have you ever been told you look a bit like Gary Oldman? Cheers!
Excellent! well done.
These are pretty interesting, but they don't quite send the same message as the kind you turn upside down and all the feathers fall off. I think they're called "Fapergè Eggs."
I live about 10 minutes away from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. I’ve never given that exhibit this much thought, this is super cool.
Great work❤
thank you for clearing that up
Thank you for the info
As someone who is starting to work with enamel, it is incredibly difficult but so rewarding.
Always brilliant.
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WONDERFUL MEANINGFUL I’VE SEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE
This was interesting. Thanks!
I really need to go to bed. but im glad I now know why these damn eggs were so expensive in octopussy.
Very nicely presented!
Love the ending 😄
This was unexpected and really cool!
Very interesting and enjoyable!
I had read once, Mr.Fab was forced to make those eggs every year.....the first was a gift but because it was so beautiful he was required to make more. When the Rominovs were all killed, he escaped to the US but never found fame and died poor. Anyone know different?
I have literally been absolutely fascinated with these things since repeatedly rereading Anastasia’s diary in elementary school. I love this video
Faberge and his family escaped the revolution to Finland like all the Finnish Masters did. After the revolution they lived relatively quiet life. They didn’t tell people about those days (1885-1917). They made beautiful jewelry ❤ My favorite is Alma Pihl’s Snowflakes ❄️ Incredibly beautiful
I once had a very long layover in Russia (almost 20 hours) and the sun never set the whole time it felt surreal. I bought gifts there and among them was two egg shaped necklaces filigree sterling silver. And they also had huge ostrich egg-size eggs but made of carved wood and very glossy, some with inlay. Unrelated, but they also sold some stew in small clay pots and that was some of the best airport food I’ve ever had, totally home made but dang it was delicious
wow craving the clay pot stew now
Don't have anything insightful to say except - nice video, Phil! You always do good work; sometimes, you do really great work.
Interesting video! The first Faberge eggs I saw were in the Forbes Gallery in Greenwich Village, now closed. I wonder what became of the eggs that were there, or for that matter what became of the entire collection. Maybe a video on what happens to the collections of museums that close?
I wonder if they're in a forbes house somewhere (or storage facility).
@@PhilEdwardsInc The Forbes collection of imperial Faberge eggs was purchased by the Russian Oligarch Viktor Vekselberg after the death of Malcolm Forbes, it is estimated he paid over 150 million dollars for the nine imperial eggs and the 180 other faberge items in the Forbes collection. The eggs are now in the Faberge museum in Moscow. And interestingly enough, in early 2022 Vekselberg had loaned three eggs to a faberge exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum in London when the war in Ukraine broke out. After countries around the world started to freeze Russian assets, Veskelberg’s faberge eggs loaned to the exhibition were confiscated. Namely the first Easter egg, the coronation egg, and the Gatchina palace egg.
@@PhilEdwardsInc It’s a tragedy because after Malcolm Forbes died, his sons sold off his entire collection of art and antiquities. Wine owned by Thomas Jefferson, Napoleon Bonaparte’s desk, and the opera glasses used by Abraham Lincoln the night he died were all sold. At least when Malcolm was alive he had exhibited all his art in a free public gallery.
They family decided they could not keep the collection becuase the estate taxes that the government was imposing on them was astronomical. Yes, they were wealthy, but the taxes that they would have had to pay for the collection, was apparently out of control. They put the collection up for auction, and a Russian billionaire bought everything and brought the collection back with him to Russia. He said they are going back to Russia where they belong. Many people were angry at that statement becuase the Russian Revolutionaries closed down Faberge's workshop, and the man's life was destroyed. So, it's hypocritical becuase people have said, you didn't want to have anything to do with them, and now you want them, and you claim they belong in Russia? really? please! Also. Carl Faberge had to flee to Switzerland along with his family. He died a year later, maybe this killed the man becuase he worked very hard in his business. I think it was his life. The man was an artist, a genius, and he had an incredible imagination, which is very evident becuase his art is a feast for the eye. The quality of the objects that were crafted in the house of Faberge was and is, mindboggling extraordinary. There is no way we will ever see anything close like that ever again. The skills and craftsmanship are long gone.
@@fabergeegg1722 Uh….that thing about estate taxes is not true. The Forbes family kept the faberge eggs for over 14 years after Malcolm died so if they needed to pay taxes they would’ve had to do it at least close to the time he died. It was always the plan for the Forbes family to eventually sell the eggs and the rest of his collection. Malcolm said in his book, More Than I Dreamed: A Lifetime of Collecting, ‘I’ve often told my children I hope that, if they decide to be done with one of the collections, they will put it back on the auction block so that other people can have the same vast fun and excitement that we did in amassing it.’
I have loved them for years but never looked into them or why they were eggs. Very sweet and interesting They currently make jewellery and although it's not my style I love it. Saw a beautiful necklace which I was gonna nag a friend to get me ss he missed my birthday. I miss read the price as £78 there was a gap, which clearly should not have been there. It was £7800. Which was the cheapest in the collection. Great video
Fascinating!
Great video 👍
Made to be beautiful and amazing. The idea of saving costs didn't appear to exist. They are made with no worry of cost, for they will sell for top dollar. Amazing art.
thank you for the video
The perspective that changes trough out time is so interesting, how will everything change when no one of our generation is alive anymore to bear the weight of the experiences ? All our experiences will one day become just a story
Subscribed and WOW!!! Please make so much more🍿👀🍿👀🤌🏾