Kelch and Other Eggs

While the vast majority of Easter eggs were made for the Imperial family, there were a few made for other customers as well, including American-born Duchess, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Prince Youssoupoff (ironically, the assassin of Gregory Rasputin) and Emanuel Nobel. However, it was gold mining magnate Alexander Kelch who, aside from the Tsars, commissioned the greatest number of Easter eggs. He acquired seven between the years of 1898 and 1904.

Just as high-resolution video games impress us with their realism today, so it was with the automaton “surprises” contained in a number of the Easter eggs. The Kelch Pine Cone Egg, for example, contained a miniature elephant complete with a mahout that lumbered along slowly shifting its weight from one side to the other. But this was not all; the elephant also swung its head side to side and moved its tail back and forth. The Peacock Egg of 1908 consisted of a clear eggshell in which was contained a peacock sitting on a tree. The peacock could be removed from the tree and when wound would strut and spread its tail while turning his head from side to side.

Kelch Eggs (shown below left to right)

1898 Hen Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1899 12 Panel Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1900 Pine Cone Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1901 Apple Blossom Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1902 Rocaille Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1903 Bonbonniére Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin (?)

1904 Chanticleer Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

Other Eggs (shown below left to right)

1885 Blue Enamel Ribbed Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1902 Duchess of Marlborough Egg (Pink Serpent Clock): Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1902 Rothschild Egg: Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin

1905 Youssoupov Egg: Workmaster Henrik Wigström (?)

1910/14 Nobel Ice Egg: Workmaster Albert Holmström (?), Designer Alma Pihl

1917 Twilight Egg (Night Egg): Workmaster Henrik Wigström or Albert Holmström