Las Vegas: Bellagio displays Fabergé -- and Fauxbergé -- pieces

A Las Vegas art gallery is poised to lead guests on a journey to 19th century Russia with its display of rare Fabergé pieces opening today.

That’s when the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art unveils its “Fabergé Revealed” exhibit. The gallery will showcase 238 rare Faberge artifacts as part of the largest display outside Russia.

The treasures, created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for the Russian imperial family, share the history of a bygone dynasty through their remarkable craftsmanship and the use of precious gems, gold and silver.

The collection includes the Imperial Pelican Easter Egg, created in 1897 to honor the Dowager Empress of Russia. The red- and gold-colored egg opens to reveal eight oval frames. Each pearl-rimmed frame contains a Russian landmark painted on ivory.

Atop the egg, a pelican feeds her young, symbolizing maternal care.

“These treasured objects encompass the beauty of art while also telling one of the most powerful stories in history: the fall of the Russian imperial family,” Tarissa Tiberti, the gallery’s executive director, said in a news release.

The exhibit also includes a collection of Fabergé fakes. Until recently, the objects were thought to be originals but are now being labeled as “Fauxbergé.”

The display, a partnership with the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, will continue through May 25. Tickets cost $17 for adults and $12 for students, teachers and military. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.

The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

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