Un uovo di Fabergè per Jimmy Johnstone.
The Jimmy Johnstone Egg
A creation by Sarah Fabergé
Sarah Fabergé, great-granddaughter of Russian Imperial Jeweller Carl Fabergé, will unveil her Jimmy Johnstone Egg in the Members’ Dining Room at the House of Commons, at 4.00 p m today, Tuesday 7th June.
It was Sarah’s viewing of the biographical film, ‘Lord of the Wing’, in which the full story of Jinky’s life – his wizardry on the pitch and struggles outside the football ground - that moved her to design this creation for Celtic Football Club’s legendary player, who is now both a sufferer of motor neurone disease and a leading campaigner in the drive to find a cure.
The Lisbon Lion is the Egg’s finial – symbol of Celtic’s triumph in winning the European Cup in 1967. The lion presides over the badges of Jimmy Johnstone’s major achievements – the UEFA European Cup winner’s medal; to the reverse, the Scottish league championship medal; and, flanking them to the left - the Scottish Football Association and to the right, the Scottish Football League medal. On the base of the egg, Celtic Football Club’s badge proclaims its 1888 origin and the ‘Lord of the Wing’ motif is featured along with seven magic Celtic rings.
Four winding-shafts support the top of the Egg - a reminder of Jimmy Johnstone’s origins as a young boy before the days of glory, waiting anxiously at the coal pit-head for his father to emerge from a day’s toil at the face. Fans will also recognise an echo of the old ‘Jungle’ stand at Parkhead, with its corrugated roof.
Open the Egg and, in the Fabergé family tradition, there is a surprise: Johnstone himself, poised aslant as he presses forward – Celtic Football Club’s greatest ever player, triumphantly modelled in silver and fine gold, at his feet a silver and gold diamond-studded football.
Sarah Fabergé has fashioned her tribute in sterling silver, enamel, yellow and black gold – and adds her signature beneath, hand engraved and attesting the edition number.
Nineteen eggs in all were individually crafted and all but one were made available for £10,000 each. The collection was entirely sold out within days and the last of the eggs will be auctioned at Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel on Wednesday evening, June 8th, where, once again, Ms Faberge will be present.
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Good evening, there was already an injury, huh?
Giovanni Trapattoni, falling off his chair