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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle

The giant golden egg that never hatched

Paul Kutchinsky with the Argyle Library Egg
Paul Kutchinsky with the Argyle Library Egg. Photograph: PA/Alamy

It was sad to read the saga of the Argyle Library Egg (My dad made the biggest jewelled egg in the world. The obsession would destroy his marriage, family and fortune, 7 March) and of the untimely death of Paul Kutchinsky. But repeated references to the egg that he made is akin to crediting Elon Musk with devising the Tesla car. There were six master craftsmen who worked 7,000 hours to create the egg. My father, Geoff Lawley, made all the intricate furniture mounted on the three 120-degree vistas inside the egg.

When the egg could not be sold, my father and the other craftsmen were made redundant by the De Vroomen Alexander workshop. He never worked again, but I’m pleased to report he is alive and well and celebrated his 95th birthday this week, although his memories of his part in the creation of this masterpiece are now fading.
Dave Lawley
Buckland, Hertfordshire

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