Faberge's Eggs

FABERGE'S EGGS: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE MASTERPIECES THAT OUTLIVED AN EMPIRE: Toby Faber: Random House, 2008: Non-Fiction: 302 p.

Easter, beginning in 1885, the Russian Czar presented his wife with a fabulously jeweled egg. Elegant and simple in external design, inside was an elaborately crafted surprise. It was the first, but it began a rich tradition that ended only with the fall of the Romanov dynasty. And it was Carl Faberge—master jeweler—who created the treasure.

Faber describes the rise of the House of Faberge, each egg’s intricate detail, intimacies of Romanov family life, the historical turmoil of the late Romanov rule and it’s revolutionary aftermath. The book follows the story of each precious egg, from early inception to its present whereabouts in the world today. Nice readability of the world famous icons.

The only downfall is the luster-lacking photos. A book dedicated to describing these loveliest of object d’arts should have included photos in greater quantity, of better quality and in larger detail. An oversight hard to understand.

DAP