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A diamond-studded crystal Fabergé egg that once belonged to Russia's imperial family has sold for a record £22.9m ($30.2m) in London, the BBC reported citing Christie's auction house.
The Winter Egg - considered one of the legendary jeweler’s most beautiful creations - was bought by an anonymous bidder on Tuesday, according to the report.
It is decorated with 4,500 diamonds was commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II in 1913 as a present to his mother.
The previous record for a Fabergé egg was £8.9m paid at auction in 2007, according to the BBC.
The 8.2cm high (3.2in) egg was created by Carl Fabergé, based on the design of Alma Theresia Pihl, one of only two female workmasters at St Petersburg's jewelry company.
It was carved from rock crystal and decorated with rose-cut diamonds, as well as platinum snowflake motifs.
The egg opens up to reveal a tiny basket of white quartz flowers inside.
The Fabergé house only ever made 50 eggs for Russia's imperial Romanov family, and the Imperial Winter Egg is one of just seven left in private hands, according to the BBC.
The others are either missing or owned by institutions or museums.