THE $93,750 SPUD Uncover Fabergé’s Unexpected Masterpiece
sale of a Fabergé potato, the world did a collective double-take. After all, who would have thought a potato — albeit one crafted by a master jeweler — would garner such attention and a hefty price tag to match? The bidding war was intense, with collectors and Fabergé
When you think of the name Fabergé, you probably imagine opulent, jewel-encrusted eggs that epitomize luxury and elegance. But did you know the famous Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé, the mastermind behind the glittering eggs, also created a humble potato? And not just any potato, but one that fetched an astounding $93,750 at a Christie’s auction in 2016. Fabergé’s Glorious Spud In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Peter Carl Fabergé was the go-to jeweler for Russian royalty. His intricate and lavish creations, particularly the famous Fabergé eggs, were commissioned by Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II as Easter gifts for their wives and mothers. Each egg was a masterpiece, often containing hidden surprises like miniature portraits, mechanical wonders, expensive jewels, or even tiny replicas of royal palaces. But amidst these exquisite creations, Fabergé had a sense of humor and a knack for the unexpected. Enter the Fabergé potato — a far cry from the shimmering eggs but equally fascinating in its own right. This potato, crafted from pink agate, was a whimsical departure from his usual opulent fare. The Humble Potato’s Journey Fast-forward to 2016, and this extraordinary potato was again in the spotlight. When Christie’s auction house announced the
enthusiasts eager to own this unique piece of history. When the gavel finally came down, the potato had sold for a staggering $93,750. Not bad for a root vegetable! Why a Potato? You might wonder why Fabergé, a jeweler known for his elaborate and luxurious designs, chose to make a potato. Perhaps it was his way of showing artistry could be found in the simplest of things. Or maybe it was a playful nod to the significance of potatoes in Russian culture — a staple food that sustained many through tough times. Whatever the reason, Fabergé’s potato reminds us that even the most mundane objects can be transformed into something extraordinary with a bit of creativity and a touch of humor.
PECULIAR LAWS OF THE ANCIENT EMPIRE ROMAN RULES
Dress Codes and Party Fouls Beginning in around 215 BC, the Roman Republic began instituting what was known as sumptuary laws, which restricted the clothes people could wear, foods they could eat, and the maximum number of attendees at parties. They created these, in part, to reduce the costs of banquets, festivals, and other Roman ragers. Some examples were enacted in 213 BC when it became illegal for women to wear colorful dresses — unless they were celebrating a ritual sacrifice — to wear more than a half ounce of gold or even to ride around in carriages. However, they soon repealed these laws because they considered them antiquated . Shocking Statute Tough luck for those who like hanging out on tall metal poles — if a lightning strike killed someone in Rome, the law forbade families from burying them! This is because Romans believed lightning strikes were
divine retribution from the king of the Roman pantheon, Jupiter. See Ya Later, Gladiator! Romans “borrowed” the idea of gladiatorial games from their (conquered) neighbors, wherein people would fight — sometimes to the death — for the public’s amusement and began holding them back in 264 BC. However, because only 3 of every 5 people made it to their 20s at the time, only about 10% of those bouts involved actual fatalities. Many slaves, prisoners of war, and Christian martyrs fought as gladiators in the arena, but if they were already sentenced to execution, they had no hope of survival. One peculiar law involving gladiators was that they would fight until an injured combatant put down his shield and lifted his index finger to ask for mercy. At that point, it would come to an abrupt halt — though the emperor, if in attendance, would make the final decision.
While ancient Rome may be known for gladiators, grand conquests, and fashionable togas, a surprisingly intricate legal system kept their civilization in line. They had many laws — some familiar, others bizarre — that dictated the everyday lives of millions of Roman citizens, enslaved people, and soldiers across a vast empire. Here are three of the most outrageous and interesting laws Romans enacted as a republic and an empire.
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