Collecting Eggs

My grandmother, Wilma (Shunk) Offutt, collected eggs. She liked to travel, and had eggs from all over the world.The clients of her bookkeeping business often added to that collection, many of them being world travelers as well. Her collection (well over 200 at last count) is now mine. Everything from mineral to crystal to pewter to real bird's eggs are in this collection.

It's hard to find references anywhere on egg collecting. I've found a reference to a book on collecting egg cups (which are a really hot collectible these days), but nothing about eggs. I own a few books on making decorative eggs (see "reference" section at the bottom of this page), and a few of them talk about the history and folklore of decorative eggs, but not about the hobby of collecting them. I find that really strange, considering how many collectible eggs are bought and sold each year. EBay online auction site has a section just for collectible eggs!

It would be very difficult to put a dollar value on Grandma's (now my) collection. Since there are no price guides for eggs, and since souvenir eggs can be found in nearly every material nearly everywhere. Some of the pieces, like the Avon collectibles, have a value that can be verified. Noritake has a collector series for Easter as well. Even the toy manufacturer Fisher Price has produced collectible "Little People" eggs. (See the photo of the two in my collection, below.)

If you are an egg collector yourself, you know that the best time of year to find eggs is around Easter. (Well, duh, right?) You've probably also found that eggs will pop up in the strangest places. The fantasy artist M. Peña has spectacular hatching dragon eggs from Windstone Editions. A few years ago, I picked up water squirters shaped like a hatching flamingo and turtle. I found them -- of all places! -- in Drake University's D-Shop, an on-campus commisary. (Drake is my alma mater.) I even found a ceramic handcrafted egg at a Renaissance Faire in Massachusetts (King Richard's Faire, to be precise).

In 1991, Hallmark began the spring ornament collection with Easter and springtime themes. There are eggs as Christmas ornaments, too. Hallmark produced a 4-egg series from 1989 to1992 called "Winter Surprise." The Keepsake Ornaments of 2000 features "Christmas Tree Surprise," a porcelain hinged egg. (I have that "Christmas Tree Surprise", but don't have a picture of it; it's packed up with my Christmas ornaments.)

Here are some of the eggs in my collection. These do not include the ones I inherited from Grandma. They take up two large and very full curio cabinets, which reside at my parents' home, until I have someplace big enough to house them.

1. Cloissonné, 2. Turtle water-squirter, 3. Ceramic with decal, 4. Plastic (contains the dried rose petals of a flower Marc gave me for Valentine's Day), 5. Paper-covered styrofoam (one of six), 6. Flamingo water-squirter, 7. Painted wood, 8. M. Peña hatching dragon (in white), 9. Porcelain box, 10. Ceramic (hand painted), this one came from King Richard's Faire, 11. Paper-covered styrofoam, laquered, 12. Glass (Avon), 13., 14., 18. & 19. "The Egg Lady" ceramic ornaments, 15. Eglomise (inside painted) glass, 16. & 17. Semiprecious gemstone, amazonite and aquamarine, 20. M. Peña hatching dragon (in peacock)

1. Art glass, 2. Semiprecious gemstone, sodalite, 3. & 5. Unknown composition, believed to be an (East) Indian design (see enlargement, right), 4. Soapstone, from Kenya, 6. Art glass, 7. Plastic "cow egg" in nest, 8. & 14. Ceramic with pipe cleaner arms and legs, ceramic hands and feet, 9. & 11. Painted wooden Santas, 10. Ceramic, half of a set of salt and pepper shakers, 12. Ceramic, rodeo design, 13. "The Egg Lady" ceramic (congratulatory ornament for a new baby girl)

1. Ceramic, 2. & 4. Ceramic salt and pepper set (see below), 3. Plastic "magical" egg from Barney's Great Adventure (movie), 5. Eglomise glass, 6. Chinese carved cork scene under glass, 7. Resin (see enlargement, right), 8. Soapstone, 9. Resin dragon hatchling, "Stone Critters", 10. Resin "Pooh" ormanent

Both of these bear the sticker "Lego Fine Quality Japan."

1. Painted and gilt ceramic, 2. Resin egg beater, 3. Plastic electronic timer, 4. Duck egg from "The Real Egg", 5. & 6. Large egg is lead crystal, inside it are a couple dozen small art glass eggs.

1. & 8. Art glass, 2. Plastic "Tigger", 3. Ceramic, 4. Tin reproduction, 5. Glass covered "dish", 6. Photo snow-globe (see enlargement, right), 7. Ceramic (Hallmark, Nature's Sketchbook), 9. Sugar surprise eggs, 10. Chrome chiming egg, 11. Brass lighter (see enlargement, below)

This unusual beauty was found at an antique shop in Blue Island, IL (Three Sisters).

1. Plastic Mardi Gras throw, an eBay find, 2. Enameled silver egg pendant (see enlargement, right), 3. Metal jingle bell necklace, 4. Silver Easter egg charm (see right), 5. Enameled gold egg earrings (see right)

Some of my collection is in display on my baker's rack:

The first two are cloisonné, the third is ceramic, and the fourth one is a Mary Englebreit licensed collectible in porcelain.

This masterpiece is cloisonné; the metal egg opens up to reveal an enameled interior,
and an egg with a matching motif as the larger "box."

Aren't these darling? 1999 Fisher-Price "Little People"
I am not sure when they started making these, but I have seen on eBay 2004 "editions."

There are several sources for collectible eggs. I've already mentioned a few, but other than the Avon eggs (and there are quite a few of those) and the Noritake bone china egg box series that started in 1971, there are also the Goebel eggs in an ongoing series that started in 1978. Lenox has a series of porcelain egg boxes, starting (I believe) in 1994. Christopher Radko has Easter-themed blown-glass ornaments, and there are eggs among them. Hallmark has produced eggs for both Easter and Christmas holidays. The Franklin Mint has produced high-end collectible eggs, in the style of Fabergé. Yet another source of collectible eggs are the White House wooden and glass eggs.

If you know of a series or collectible eggs I haven't mentioned (and I know I've missed some), send me email and tell me about it. Also, I am looking for information regarding the person or persons who make "The Egg Lady" ceramic ornament eggs. Can't find a thing about her, and would like to know more. Thanks!

Please note: Several people have emailed me, asking for assistance in identifying, pricing or getting more information about an egg in their own collection. I can't help them, unfortunately, because there are just too many craftspeople the world over creating eggs as souvenirs for any kind of a price guide to be helpful, even if there was such a thing. Any collectible series (as mentioned above) is bound to have a value that can be quantified. (Avon eggs, Hallmark, etc., all have collectors, and therefore have available price guides.) But that nifty ceramic egg bought at the ren faire, or the souvenir from Turkey, or whatever, won't be in a price guide anywhere unless the artist who crafted it has made a name for him- or herself.

Here're some ideas that may help you:

If none of that helps, just enjoy your collectible. I appreciate hearing from other collectors, but please consider points 1-4 above before you email me. Sad to say, I'll likely give you the same advice as I have given others. I just don't have access to the information you need. (Sorry!)

There are any number of books available for the novice or expert "egger." The Splendid Art of Decorating Eggs (©1972, Dover Books) by Rosemary Disney is at one (high!) end of the spectrum, with advanced cutting and hingeing techniques, and Easter Eggs By the Dozens! (©1993, Storey Publications) by Rhonda Hart is more at the other end, with simpler projects for grown-ups and kids alike. Many books on "nature crafts" also include instructions for dyeing eggs with natural materials, and books of seasonal Easter crafts will include information on decorating eggs. With luck and patience, you can run into the many out of print egg decorating books, like Easter Eggs for Everyone (©1973, Abingdon Press) by Evelyn Coskey and Decorative Eggs (©1992, Crescent Books) by Candace Manroe.

But even if you can't find a book, that's not to say you can't create. You're limited only by your imagination where eggs are concerned. You can find eggs of Styrofoam, wood, plaster and wax, and use the ones in your refrigerator. And if you don't like the way one has turned out, don't dispair! I painted a design on an egg, decided that it was ugly, covered it with aluminum foil, and rubbed black acrylic paint onto it. The painted design raised the foil, giving it an embossed appearance, and the black paint in the foil's creases made it look like pewter (see below).

Here are some of the eggs I've made:

Top left, three wooden eggs. The first is a work-in-progress (flags of the world), the second has glued on acrylic "rhinestones," the third is an Easter theme of eggs hidden in the grass. Top center, foil-covered hen's egg. Top right, sequin-covered styrofoam egg. Bottom left, plastic eggs covered with plastic decorative sleeves (purchased in the late 1990s at Walgreen's). Bottom right, fabric flower-covered styrofoam.

Techniques

The painted wooden eggs were painted with acrylic paints. The rhinestones were glued on with Tacky Glue. The sequined egg has small silver stars in the center of the blue sequins. The Sesame Street eggs were incredibly easy to do. I slid the decorative sleeves over the two-piece plastic eggs found every Easter. (I made these several years ago, 2001 or '02; I have no idea if the SSt. sleeves are still available -- check eBay!) Using kitchen tongs, I quickly dipped each egg into boiling water, shrinking the sleeve down tight. It only takes a second. The rose egg took more roses than I initially thought, sending me back to Michael's to buy more "bushes." I just snipped each flower off the bunch and worked in lines from top to bottom. The stand is a bent ornament stand, wrapped with a miniature floral garland.

My very favorite egg myth is of Mary Magdalene and Christ's resurrection. According to this story, Mary Magdalene was the first person to see the newly risen Christ. She immediately went to spread the news. When she met some peasants on the road and told them, they refused to believe her. She reached into a basket of eggs one of them carried, and held up a bright crimson egg. The miracle convinced the peasants that she told the truth. To this day in some eastern European countries, red eggs are exchanged on Easter with the exclamation "He is risen!"

Links
Sarajane's Polymer Clay Eggs -- really beautiful work, here online, or in her book Celebrations in Polymer Clay

Folklore of the Egg -- "Numerous legends surround the glorious egg..."

Eggorama -- a very talented California egg artist's gallery

Carol's Art Treasures -- she also has supplies, but you really must visit her gallery

Dovetail Gallery in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin -- a gallery of eggs, and a Fabergé egg in their permanent collection

Spirits in Shells -- beautiful... I really love the wolves

Traynor Eggs -- one-of-a-kind wooden painted eggs

International Egg Art Guild

Resources
Ichiyo Art Center -- Supplies and information about washi eggs

Wilma's Egg Art -- "Supplies, findings and stands for egg artists"

Goose eggs -- from a US farm

Egg Art Australia -- a mail-order company Down Under that supplies egg artists

Ostriches Online -- a source for ostrich eggs

Emusing Secrets -- emu and rhea eggs, and emu oil products

Eggcetera -- supplies, books and tools

Bob & Carol's Egg-Art -- finished products and supplies

About.com -- a 3-page online article about Easter holiday collectibles (specifically, eggs)

Bibliography
Coskey, Evelyn. Easter Eggs for Everyone. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1973. "Discusses the lore and legends of eggs, including Easter eggs, gives instructions for simple and elaborate ways to decorate eggs, and suggests uses for the final product." 191 pages.

Disney, Rosemary. The Splendid Art of Decorating Eggs. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1972. "The decorated eggs described in this book sell for astronomical prices, but you can create them for just the cost of materials and a few pleasurable hours. Noted authority Rosemary Disney provides easy-to-follow instructions and clear diagrams for nearly 100 handsome projects: jewel box, lacquered eggs, holiday eggs, and egg doll, and more." 190 pages.

Hart, Rhonda Massingham. Easter Eggs By the Dozens! Storey Publications, Pownal, VT, 1993. "Eggs are incredible! Long a symbol of life, renewal, hope, and joy, eggs are not just for cooking and eating. Here's a delightful book, full of literally dozens of ways to decorate and craft eggs." 106 pages.

Kmit, Anne,et al. Ukrainian Easter Eggs And How We Make Them. Ukrainian Gift Shop, Minneapolis, 1979. "This book is about the custom of decorating pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs). We are so impressed with the wisdom and strength of our Ukrainian ancestors that we wanted to record a history of their tradition for others." 104 pages.

Manroe, Candace Ord. Decorative Eggs. Crescent Books, New York, 1992. "In an easy-to-read text accompanied by gorgeous full-color photographs, Decorative Eggs reveals the rich international history of the egg, from its traditional and symbolic significance to its role as one of the most pervasive mediums in the decorative arts."

Newsome, Arden J. Egg Craft. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co., New York, 1973. "Demonstrates in text and illustrations the various techniques of decorating blown or cooked eggs. Includes a list of suppliers of materials used." 128 pages.

In September of 2001, my husband Marc told me about a contest that had been started on a newsgroup by a professional photographer saying that if someone took a good black and white picture of an egg on a white background, then he'd be impressed. Thus started The Great Egg Shootout.

Marc was not intrigued by this proposition, but I immediately began imagining potential shots. The image above was my entry. Of 227 votes cast, my submission received 26, winning by a single vote. What did I win? Absolutely nothing but the satisfaction. It was a lot of fun, too.

Now, if you're wondering how I did that... Using an AGFA EPhoto 1680, set to full automatic/flash off/greyscale, I created this picture of three white candles in a white shadow box with a white sheet behind it, and an egg in a clear glass candle holder. The resulting picture was tweaked in Photoshop, using the Flaming Pear "flood" filter, creating the appearance of water.