This Russian Imperial glass Easter egg may be a few decades older than the others. As early as 1860.
This egg came as a surprise, the seller’s generous gift for purchasing the others. At first glance, it was easy to dismiss it as being of lesser quality than its more elegant companions. The embedded bubbles looked like flaws. The thick and thin brushstrokes of white enamel looked poorly executed. It was simply overwhelmed by all the splendour around it.
A couple of days later, I discovered that my assumptions were completely wrong. Everything about this egg was by design. It all has to do with how it is viewed.
The flat area on the back of the egg acts as a window. You need to hold the egg to the light and look through that window to appreciate the perfection of the design. Inside is miniature winter wonderland, in perspective. A path between two great banks of snow leads to a shadowy snow covered castle, tiny snowflakes falling all around. The three dimensional effect is quite convincing. Certain to have fascinated many generations of children.
6.7 cm in height.
