Art, history and stories
Discover the art, history and stories associated with the Royal Collection and the Royal Palaces and Residences
An extraordinary object
Take a look at this extraordinary object
Where do you think this beautiful miniature elephant was made, and how do you think it might have been used? Read on to learn our discoveries.
The small elephant was made in the workshop of Carl Fabergé in St Petersburg, Russia. It was created as the ‘surprise’ placed inside an Imperial Easter Egg given by Tsar Alexander III to his wife, Tsarina Marie Feodorovna as an Easter gift in 1892.
This short film reveals how the mystery of the elephant’s origins was recently solved by Caroline de Guitaut, Deputy Surveyor of The Queen’s Works of Art.
Watch the film below to find out more about Imperial Easter Eggs made by Fabergé.