Between 1885 and 1916, Carl Faberge made fifty fabulous jewelled eggs - Easter presents from Russia's last two emperors to their wives.They have become the most famous surviving symbols of the Romanov Empire: supreme examples of the jeweller's art, but, to some,the vulgar playthings of a decadent court on the brink of revolution. Everyone of these masterpieces is a slice of history, with each telling its own remarkable story.

Theo Woodall first looked at his birth certificate in 1969, when he was forty-seven years old. An elderly aunt had suggested he do so. 'You should have been told earlier,' she added. The document told Theo why. His 'parents', Philip and Linda Woodall,were really his aunt and uncle. Linda's sister, Theo's glamorous Aunt Dorise (she had added the final e some years earlier), was his true mother. That's the kind of news that would shake any man, but what really struck him was the name of his fatheron the birth certificate, despite Theo's illegitimacy - Nicholas Faberge. Theo's paternal grandfather had been the world's most famous jeweller, supplier to the Romanovs and half the nobility of Europe, Carl Gustavovitch Faberge.

Romanov family tree 

Faberge family tree 

Introduction

1. Christ is risen! 

2. As precious as an egg on Christ's own day

3 'A continuation of file long funeral ceremonies

4. Utterly different in character, habits and outlook

5. The warm and brilliant shop of Carl Faberge

6. The ancestor who appeals to me least of all额

7. We shall have to show dirty nappies

8. A good, religious, simple-minded Russian

9. The little one will not die

10. An unparalleled genius

11. Faberge has just brought your delightful egg 

12. Everything seems sad 

13. Guard it well. It is the last 

14. This is life no more

15. You will have all of it when I am gone

16. Determining their fate irrevocably in a few moments 

17. Pick out gold, silver and platinum from the articles of minimal museum value 

18. I know that May was passionately fond of fine jewellery 

19. Department stores - try the department stores

20. Old civilisations put to the sword

21. Turn of the century trinkets

22. When you viewed his Faberg6 collection, you were doing him a favour 

23. He who dies with the most toys wins 

24. Handle it and then question it; that thing is as right as rain

25. You can put all your eggs in one basket

Afterword

Appendix - Full listing of the Imperial eggs

Glossary 

Notes

Bibliography 

Index 

Acknowledgements