Peter Carl Fabergé egg-xalted in Google doodle
Peter Carl Fabergé, the Russian jeweller famous for creating ornate eggs, has been celebrated by an egg-stra special Google doodle.
Peter Carl Fabergé, the Russian jeweller famous for creating ornate eggs, has been celebrated by an egg-stra special Google doodle.
The Google doodle is a playful remix of the Google logo found on the search giant's otherwise crisp white home page, which pops up to mark a special day, or the birthday of famous folk. Fabergé is celebrated on the 166th anniversary of his birth in May 1846.
Fabergé, also known as Karl Gustavovich Fabergé, was born in St Petersburg, and with his brother Agathon followed in their father's footsteps to become jewellers. Their skill was such that in 1885, Tsar Alexander III gave the House of Fabergé the title of Goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown. After receiving worldwide acclaim, Fabergé died in 1920 in Switzerland.
The bejewelled eggs for which he is best known -- like the one in Octopussy -- were Easter gifts in which precious metal and gemstones decorated the colourful surfaces. Thousands were made, but the most famous are the Imperial Fabergé eggs, commissioned by Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II as gifts for their wives and family. The tradition ended abruptly in 1917 when the Imperial family was overthrown and Fabergé was forced to flee the Russian revolution.
Just 42 of the 50 Imperial eggs survive. The Rothschild egg is both the most expensive Fabergé item and most expensive Russian item ever sold, at £8.9m.
Which is your favourite Google doodle? Click play below to see our favourites, including a shooting star leaping through the skies like a tiger, defying the laws of gravity.
You can now get your favourite doodle on a t-shirt, mug or skateboard at the Google doodle store. Who would you like to see celebrated by Google? Tell us in the comments or on our Facebook page.