Grand Duke Egg

Theo Fabergé hand-turned the shell of a Banksia Nut, characterised by its fascinating natural piercing and rich colouring, to further explore his celebration of the senses.

Lacquered and adorned with 18-karat gilded bezels, the Egg is surmounted by a finial set with a cabochon ruby. The foot is ornamentally turned on Theo’s Holtzapffel lathe dating from 1861.

When the egg opens, it reveals a pierced and turned vinaigrette that contains and releases the fragrance Special No. 127. Theo’s only daughter, Sarah, selected this fragrance with J. Floris of London, who designed it in 1890 for the Russian Grand Duke Orloff.