Russian Billionaire Places Historic Faberge Eggs on Display, Saint-Petersburg Global Trade House Makes Replicas Available to Collectors Worldwide
(PRWEB) October 01, 2013 -- In a newly opened museum in St. Petersburg, billionaire Viktor Vekselberg has placed his priceless collection of Faberge Eggs on display for the general public. The museum, having undergone an extensive renovation, is housed within Shuvalov Palace, a historic dwelling in the heart of the city which once held balls and concerts attended by members of the Imperial family as well as famous literati. Furthermore, according to Vladimir Voronshenko, Vekselberg’s business partner and head of the fund that manages his art collection, this is the first private museum in Russia that is open to the public.
This cultural event will offer about 4,000 exhibits from the Link of Times foundation, the fund managed by Voronshenko. Amongst these exhibits are the Imperial Faberge Eggs that Vekselberg purchased from the Forbes family in 2004 for $100 million. The Faberge Collection was started by Malcolm S. Forbes, the father of the current owners of Forbes Magazine. His incredible passion for his art collections and his love of rare and exquisite art work led to a lifetime of presenting public Forbes Galleries throughout the US and much of the world. In his memoir, More Than I Dreamed: A Lifetime of Collecting, Forbes said that "I've often told my children I hope that, if they decide to be done with one of the collections, they will put it back on the auction block so that other people can have the same vast fun and excitement that we did in amassing it.”Thus, according to his wishes, the Faberge Eggs were sold and now are being made available to the Russian public. Most notable amongst this collection are the Hen Egg, Rosebud Egg, Lilies-of-the-Valley Egg, and, perhaps most famously, the Order of St. George Egg, which was the last egg received by the Empress Maria Feodorovna.
The Hen Egg and the Order of St. George Egg are both particularly important in this set because they represent the first and last eggs received by Empress Maria. Interestingly, both Eggs are somewhat more modest and austere than the rest. This may be due to the fact that both were given as gifts to console the Empress during very difficult times. The Hen Egg was given following terrorist attempts on the Imperial Family in 1885, while the Order of St. George Egg was made during the First World War to commemorate the award of the same name awarded to Emperor Nicholas and his son. The two historic eggs represent the rise and fall of the Russian Imperial Family. They are a powerful reminder of the many dichotomies of Imperial Russia and represent an important yet transformative period of Russian history.
St. Petersburg Global Trade House, a New York based importer of Russian goods, is particularly excited about the cultural significance of this opening. As the main American importer of Russian hand-made Faberge style eggs, St. Petersburg GTH is a key source of Russian-made goods in North America. Furthermore, they’ve displayed a deep interest in promoting Russian Art Heritage. In fact, earlier this year they partnered with the Russian and Ukrainian Missions to the UN in order to organize cultural awareness projects regarding “the unique history and beauty of these two cultures”. Furthermore, some of the designs offered by the company are based on those that are on display at the museum, including the Rosebud, Lilies-of-the-Valley, and Kelch Chanticleer designs. Natalia Orlova, the company’s president notes that “This museum opening represents progress in the Russian art scene. I think it will lead to more private museums that open themselves to the public, which will enrich everyone’s lives.”
About Saint Petersburg Global Trade House
Founded in 1994, Saint Petersburg Global Trade House takes its roots in Brooklyn, NY – the heart of NYC’s Russian community. Saint Petersburg GTH takes great pride in the fact that it is the largest seller of Russian gifts, books, music, and movies outside Russia. The company offers products through its free colorful printed catalog, as well as operating brick-and-mortar stores in Brooklyn. The catalog is published quarterly in editions of 50,000 copies and can be requested by calling the toll-free number at 1-800-531-1037.
For additional information, visit http://www.fromrussia.com.
Max Bolotov, Saint-Petersburg Global Trade House, http://www.fromrussia.com/, +1 (800) 531-1037 820, [email protected]
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