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the top of the egg decorated with opaque lavender enamel with divisions of opaque white with gold tooling, the base of each purple section decorated with chased gold scallops, a single row of rose cut diamonds running around the centre, the bottom comprising of a single mecca stone cabochon.
St Petersburg, c.1900, 2.3 cm including loop
Presented as a gift from the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna to her sister-in-law Princess Marie of Denmark (1865-1909), wife of Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1858-1939). Thence by descent.
Mecca stones are chalcedonies gently stained pink. They were highly fashionable in Imperial Russia. The examples in this pendant shimmer between tones of grey, blue and pink.