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| Picked up for scrap at a midwestern bric-a-brac stall the remarkable story of the £20m Fabergé Egg that nearly ended up in the melting pot... | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Spotting an intricate golden egg decorated with diamond-encrusted ribbons of leaves and roses and three large sapphires, a scrap metal dealer saw a money-making opportunity. | Spotting an intricate golden egg decorated with diamond-encrusted ribbons of leaves and roses and three large sapphires, a scrap metal dealer saw a money-making opportunity. |
| Purchasing the item for $13,300 (£8,000) with the intention of melting it down, little did he imagine it would leave him approximately £20m better off. | Purchasing the item for $13,300 (£8,000) with the intention of melting it down, little did he imagine it would leave him approximately £20m better off. |
| The unnamed buyer had inadvertently purchased a lost and ultra-rare Fabergé egg made for Russian royalty. | |
| Remarkably it was saved from the melting pot because no one recognised its potential by offering him more than he paid for it. | Remarkably it was saved from the melting pot because no one recognised its potential by offering him more than he paid for it. |
| The amazing journey of the egg began in Tsarist Russia and ended up in a flat above a Dunkin’ Donuts in America’s Mid West. The egg, which has a Vacheron Constantin watch inside it, sits on a jewelled gold stand and was given by Alexander III to his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna in Easter 1887. | The amazing journey of the egg began in Tsarist Russia and ended up in a flat above a Dunkin’ Donuts in America’s Mid West. The egg, which has a Vacheron Constantin watch inside it, sits on a jewelled gold stand and was given by Alexander III to his wife Empress Maria Feodorovna in Easter 1887. |
| It was seized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution before disappearing and turning up on an antiques stall in the US a decade ago. | It was seized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution before disappearing and turning up on an antiques stall in the US a decade ago. |
| The unnamed buyer paid £8,000 based on its weight and the estimated value of it’s decoration of diamonds and sapphires, but was unable to get anyone to take it off his hands. | The unnamed buyer paid £8,000 based on its weight and the estimated value of it’s decoration of diamonds and sapphires, but was unable to get anyone to take it off his hands. |
| A Third Imperial Faberge Easter Egg next to a cupcake | A Third Imperial Faberge Easter Egg next to a cupcake |
| The egg began to be a financial burden to its owner. In desperation one evening, the owner tapped "egg" and "Vacheron Constantin" into Google and a newspaper article emerged about its background. | The egg began to be a financial burden to its owner. In desperation one evening, the owner tapped "egg" and "Vacheron Constantin" into Google and a newspaper article emerged about its background. |
| The article, published in the Daily Telegraph, quoted Kieran McCarthy, director of Wartski, the London-based Royal Warrant-holding experts on Carl Fabergé's work. | |
| Unable to sleep for days after recognising the egg as his, the owner flew to London to show images of it to Mr McCarthy who was left speechless. | Unable to sleep for days after recognising the egg as his, the owner flew to London to show images of it to Mr McCarthy who was left speechless. |
| To confirm it was not a fake, Mr McCarthy flew to the small Midwest town where the owner lived so he could be sure the egg was genuine. | To confirm it was not a fake, Mr McCarthy flew to the small Midwest town where the owner lived so he could be sure the egg was genuine. |
| When Mr McCarthy saw it on the owner's kitchen table beside some cupcakes, he confirmed it was the lost Imperial treasure. | When Mr McCarthy saw it on the owner's kitchen table beside some cupcakes, he confirmed it was the lost Imperial treasure. |
| Wartski bought the egg for a private collector who has allowed it to be displayed for four days at an exhibition at Wartski in London from April 14. | Wartski bought the egg for a private collector who has allowed it to be displayed for four days at an exhibition at Wartski in London from April 14. |
| Mr McCarthy said: "It's the most incredible discovery. We have so many discoveries but none of them are as momentous as this. | Mr McCarthy said: "It's the most incredible discovery. We have so many discoveries but none of them are as momentous as this. |
| "It has travelled from Imperial St Petersburg to the rust belt of America. It's a story that deserves to be told because it could so easily have slipped away. | "It has travelled from Imperial St Petersburg to the rust belt of America. It's a story that deserves to be told because it could so easily have slipped away. |
| "For the Fabergé community and the historical community, it is a wondrous event because the Easter egg is the ultimate target for every antique dealer and every enthusiast." | |
| He added: "It may never be seen again and it may disappear into the deepest, darkest vaults of a collector somewhere." | He added: "It may never be seen again and it may disappear into the deepest, darkest vaults of a collector somewhere." |
| The egg was last seen in public in March 1902 when it was shown at an exhibition of the Russian Imperial family's Fabergé collection in St Petersburg. | |
| In the turmoil of the Russian revolution, the Bolsheviks confiscated the valuable egg from the empress. | In the turmoil of the Russian revolution, the Bolsheviks confiscated the valuable egg from the empress. |
| It was recorded in Moscow in 1922 when the Soviets decided to sell it as part of their policy of turning "treasures into tractors". | It was recorded in Moscow in 1922 when the Soviets decided to sell it as part of their policy of turning "treasures into tractors". |
| Its fate afterwards was unknown and it was long feared that it could have been melted down for its gold value and lost forever. | Its fate afterwards was unknown and it was long feared that it could have been melted down for its gold value and lost forever. |
| But in 2011 Fabergé researchers found the egg had been sold in New York in March 1964 for just £875 at the time. | |
| It followed the discovery of an old Parke-Bernet catalogue, and it was sold as a "gold watch in egg form case" without its provenance being known. | It followed the discovery of an old Parke-Bernet catalogue, and it was sold as a "gold watch in egg form case" without its provenance being known. |
| The revelation sparked a worldwide race to discover its whereabouts, which ultimately led to the scrap metal dealer in America's Midwest. | The revelation sparked a worldwide race to discover its whereabouts, which ultimately led to the scrap metal dealer in America's Midwest. |
| Additional reporting by the Press Association. | Additional reporting by the Press Association. |