Chapter 3 gives the Third Imperial Egg to Maria Feodorovna for Easter 1886. Specialist Fabergé chronology identifies the Third Imperial Egg as the 1887 egg. The same passage then emphasizes an 87-year disappearance before the egg re-emerged in the Midwest around 2004.
Quick Take
Analysis
The date is the anomaly
On p. 44, the book assigns the Third Imperial Egg to Easter 1886. Fabergé Research dates the Third Imperial Easter Egg to 1887. The modern rediscovery sequence—Midwestern scrap dealer around 2004, identification years later, and sale in 2014—is broadly consistent with the historical record.
Why the one-year shift stands out
The error would be minor in an ordinary biography. Here, however, the correct year itself contains 87, while the narrative also foregrounds an 87-year interval. That does not establish an unusual presentation, but it makes the wrong date worth preserving rather than silently correcting.
Deep Dive
This is a useful example of the series standard: most of the surrounding story survives checking, which makes the small numerical discrepancy more conspicuous. The strongest claim is simply that 1886 should be 1887. Any puzzle significance remains an interpretation.
Bottom Line
Verified: Third Imperial Egg = 1887. Oddity: the book says 1886 while separately emphasizing 87 years. Unknown: whether that is an editing error or intentional numerical construction.
Sources & References
- Fabergé Research — Third Imperial Egg chronology, including 1887 and the modern rediscovery.
Keep investigating
Open Question
Does the shift from 1887 to 1886 remove an 87 from one place only to preserve 87 elsewhere in the story?
Community research
Community Contributions
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