The “Bay Tree” egg

The “Bay Tree” egg; was presented to the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna by her son, Emperor Nicholas II, on Easter 1911.⠀
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The motif of the evergreen laurel, symbolizing immortality and glory, was not chosen by chance - that year marked 30 years since Maria Feodorovna’s accession to the Russian throne.⠀
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The crown of the laurel tree is egg-shaped and consists of 325 leaves carved from Sayan jade - a stone that, due to its remarkable plastic properties, was especially loved by Carl Faberge and was used to create many of his company's masterpieces. A golden songbird is placed in the jade crown of the tree, whose mechanism was made so well that it works perfectly to this day.⠀
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Empress Maria Feodorovna had a weakness for birds, and Faberge, knowing this, often supplied Easter gifts intended for her with mechanical birds.

Faberge Museum

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