A simple google search online, reveals that a lot of replicas of the Faberge exist—making genuine finds an arduous task. Chances are that most online Faberge eggs are replicas. Art collectors value Faberge eggs. Their striking beauty and significance to the Easter month make them appeal more. Originally, Faberge eggs were 69 in number, which were Russian antiques. 57 of those exist today.
Some Faberge eggs are in museums, while some are in private collections held by notable people, including royal families. Faberge eggs in the private collection remain a mystery because few people access them regularly. Most of the eggs in museums are public property, and anyone can book a tour to view their striking beauty. The rarity of the piece of art makes Faberge egg value held in private collections rise over time, though they rarely exchange hands.
Original Collections
The Gedding’s Garbage is one of the original Faberge pieces, as it was under the watch of Peter Carl at some point a long time ago. The egg exchanged hands and passed to Maria Feodorovna during the Easter holidays. Currently, the egg is under the protection of the Gray foundation in a museum and has a value of about $25000—regarded as one of the cheapest in the world.
The piece is luxury pink with enameled gold to give it a premium look that makes it valuable. Its ten-screen gold also makes it something to behold. The egg sits at a museum and might exchange hands in the future, either at an auction or through an antique dealer.
Rock Crystal Faberge
Meeting a genuine Faberge online or anywhere else is a rare occurrence because hardly do they ever go for sale. The Crystal Faberge is a piece that sits in a museum somewhere in Virginia, and like most of its kind—it was long ago before it was last sold. The last time was in the 90s.
While buying it is a long shot, the egg stands on a crystal platform that elevates its beauty even more. The striking object was last sold for $4000, in today’s currency, it might go for about $65,000. Probably, if it ever went for sale—it would be at an auction sanctioned by the art museum.
Online Art Shops
Speaking of online shops, Amazon is one of the largest. On the same breadth lies Trinket Gems, one of the most notable places to source a Faberge egg. The blue serpent is a blue piece with a working clock below it that tells time like an ordinary clock. Whether the Blue Serpent Faberge still shows real-time today remains a mystery, but a guarantee is that it has a luxurious material coating that sets it off at a whopping $78000–the price of the original piece. On Amazon, such pieces begin at about $16.
Amazon and plenty of online shops have many deals and discounts. Anyone can have their hands on a piece with a simple Google search–whether a rare blue serpent or one of the most popular variants of the Faberge. Rarely, will the replicas online go out of stock like the original pieces.
Antique Dealer Finds
Once in a while, antique dealers put their collections out for display and sell them to the highest bidders. Meaning, anyone can have their hands on a rare piece. However, It is hard to meet a genuine Faberge in such settings anywhere in the world because of their high value. Replicas are an obvious find in such settings.
Large cities have their high streets filled with antique dealers. The Manhattan antique dealer is one of them. The walk-in shops often have pieces of art on display and for purchase at the correct price.
In 2014, a genuine Faberge traded at a flea market for about $14000—a record low for the coveted piece of art. The piece went on display in 2014 in London Wartski, where an anonymous buyer took ownership of the work for some premium amount of money.
Bottom Line
Genuine Faberge eggs are hard to find, and most sit in comfortable palaces and gigantic museums globally. Should the original pieces ever go for sale, they will be through an official auction sanctioned by the custodians. Plenty of genuine replicas exist in art dealer showrooms, and online art shops such as Trinket Gems, where an ordinary person can buy one.