Lot 34 | Precious decorative egg with hidden engagement ring made of gilt metal, enamel and gold

PRECIOUS DECORATIVE EGG WITH HIDDEN ENGAGEMENT RING MADE OF GILT METAL, ENAMEL AND GOLD.

Wohl Wien.
Date: Late 19th century.
Technique: Gilt metal, coloured enamel. Crown and ring 750 Gold.
Description: Gold colored egg openable through screw thread. Hidden inside a domed, hinged lid posing
as an enameled egg yolk. Underneath a enameled hen sitting in a mount with a seal-like
insert. The hen to be opened in the middle, containing a crown. The crown then holding a
ring with an emerald and small diamonds.
Measurement: Ring und crown ca. 13g. Length of the egg 6cm/ height chicken 4cm/ height crown 1,5cm/ ø ring 2cm.
Mark: Without detectable marks, gold tested.


Provenance:
Private collection southern Germany.

Literature:
Geza von Habsburg: Fabergé - Hofjuweliere der Zaren, Munich 1986. For comparison see p.314 and following no.660, no.662 and no.663.

The decorative object presented here is very similar to a Viennese Easter egg mentioned by Geza von Habsburg, which is dated to the middle of the 19th century (p.314, no.660). These objects are inspired by earlier models from the 18th century, which she is demonstrating on two comparable examples. These are now part of the Danish queen`s collection at Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen and of the collection at the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna.