‘Always Imperial’: my new article in Majesty magazine

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Duchess of Edinburgh, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, European royal families, Familia regala, Grand Duchess of Russia, Imperial Russia, istoria regalitatii, Marie Alexandrovna, Romanov

To commemorate the 90th anniversary of the death of Marie Alexandrovna, Grand Duchess of Russia, Duchess of Edinburgh and of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Majesty magazine has just published my article ‘Always Imperial’ in their October 2010 issue.

Other articles on royal history contained within this issue: ‘Frankly speaking’ (Prince Francis of Teck) by Adrian Woodhouse, ‘On His Majesty’s Service’ (Duke and Duchess of Windsor) by Robert Prentice.

see for more articles  www.majestymagazine.com

Marie Alexandrovna: Postcard collector

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Duchess of Edinburgh, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, European royal families, Familia regala, istoria regalitatii, Marie Alexandrovna, Queen Marie of Romania, Romanian Royal Family, Romanov

Marie Alexandrovna and her eldest daughter, Marie of Romania exchanged regularly postcards throughout their lifetime, thus amassing a collection of such prints, especially on topographical subjects, and also other subjects, such fashion as is seen in the example above, which contains on the back (seen in the inset) a note from Marie of Romania to her mother reading “I thought you might like those post cards”.

All rights reserved ©Diana Mandache

Tsar Nicholas II & his family, film footage

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European royal families, Familia regala, Imperial Russia, Romanov, Russian Imperial Family, Tsar Nicholas II

The film footage shows various shots of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. Source wpa library

Christie’s London 1967, sale of Imperial Russian banqueting service

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Imperial Russia, Romanov, Russian Imperial Family, Tsar Nicholas I, Tsar Nicholas II

SALE OF IMPERIAL RUSSIAN BANQUETING SERVICE – CHRISTIES The Imperial Russian banqueting service is auctioned off at Christie’s London. Various shots of the 742 piece Russian dinner service on display at Christie’s. Various shots full auction room.  Pan across the entire service. (fine china, serverware, antiques, porcelain, dishes). Source: wpa film library

A present from Maria Feodorovna Empress of Russia to her sister Thyra Princess of Denmark

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European royal families, Faberge jewellery, Familia regala, Imperial Russia, istoria regalitatii, Maria Feodorovna Empress of Russia, Noblesse et Royautés, Romanov, Royal jewels

A splendid Faberge silver-gilt pearl and enamel heart shaped photograph frame was given to Thyra by her sister Empress Maria Feodorovna (Est. £60,000 –80,000). The gift was made in December 1905. Heart-shaped objects have an important place in works by Faberge: a heart was in the middle of two Easter eggs given by Nicholas II to his mother and heart-shaped cuff links were given by Empress Alexandra to her husband to celebrate the birth of their children. The frame is made even more personal with the addition of a beautiful miniature portrait of Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna. Workmaster: Michael Perchin, St Petersburg.

Sotheby’s Sells Romanov jewels

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Maria Pavlovna Grand Duchess of Russia, Romanov, Royal jewels

A collection of jewels worth 2 million euros ($2.9 million), most of which belonged to the last Russian tsar’s family, have surfaced in the Swedish Foreign Ministry’s storage rooms. The jewels that belonged to the Romanovs were handed over to the Swedish Embassy in St. Petersburg for safekeeping after the 1917 Bolshevik revolution, Ekot radio station said. They were found while storage items were being moved, the report said. The collection includes around 60 gold and silver cigarette cases and cuff links, and jewels made by Faberge and the Bolin family, who were court jewelers to five Russian tsars and three Swedish kings, Ekot said. “We have discovered a large quantity of jewels which were brought to what was known as the Swedish mission in Petrograd in November 1918 by a confidant of Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna,” said professor Krister Valbek. The Grand Duchess died in France without telling her family about the jewelry taken to Sweden. The jewels were kept in Sweden for about 91 years. Swedish authorities had made no mention of them earlier for security reasons, and wary over harming relations with the Soviet Union. The jewels have been handed over to members of the Romanov family. Some of them will be auctioned off at Sotheby’s London in November.

The objects, which include 100 cigarette boxes, are expected to fetch about 1 million pounds ($1.6 million), said Sofia Stroem, a spokeswoman for Sotheby’s in Stockholm. “Unknown for generations until their recent rediscovery, the objects, some of which still contain evidence of use by the Romanovs — remnants of tobacco and period Bogdanov cigarettes — truly evoke the grandeur and sublime taste of their original owners,” Marcus Linell of Sotheby’s said in a statement. The most expensive cigarette boxes may fetch as much as 90,000 pounds, while a pair of cufflinks could sell for as much as 6,000 pounds, according to Sotheby’s estimates. The cheapest cigarette boxes may sell for as little as 700 pounds, while the cheapest cufflinks may fetch as little as 80 pounds, said the auction house.

Diana Mandache’s weblog Royal History

An Interesting Royal Cipher of Elisabeta Feodorovna Grand Duchess of Russia

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cifru regal, Elisabeta Feodorovna, Elizabeth of Hesse, European royal families, Familia regala, Grand Duchess of Russia, Grand Duke of Russia, Imperial Russia, Romanov, Royal ciphers, Royal Monograms, Russian Imperial Family, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

This is a royal cipher belonging to Elisabeta Feodorovna. Her christian name is displayed under the Russian Imperial crown. Of note is the Art Nouveau like style of her name written in Cyrilic lettering. That style was much in vogue at the time (I found the cipher adorning a letter dated 1906 at the RNA) and shows the Russian Imperial Family much in touch with the cultural environment in general. ©Diana Mandache

More on royal ciphers:

Maria Alexandrovna: an exquisite Imperial Cipher

A Splendid Royal Cipher

The Romanovs, 1909: A letter of Maria Alexandrovna to Marie, her daugher

All rights reserved©Diana Mandache  http://royalromania.wordpress.com

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia & Ernst of Hesse, a Family Album sold for £15,000

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Ernst of Hesse, European royal families, Familia regala, Germany, History, Romanov, Royalty, Russia, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna

 

Tsarina & Alexis/Ernst Duke of Hesse w. his sons & Nicholas II of Russia w. Alexis

 

An album of informal photographs by Grand Duchess Eleonor of Hesse, recording a family holiday with the Russian Imperial family at the Imperial residence of Livadia in the Crimea and on the Imperial Yacht “Standart”, many including Tsar Nicholas II and his family, 89 silver gelatin prints, each c.80 x 105mm., a few items evidently removed, mounted on both sides of card leaves, a group of 10 enlarged copy prints with typed captions loosely inserted, upper cover gilt lettered “Krym. April-Mai 1912″. It was sold for £ 15000 at Bloomsbury Auctions on 25th March 2009 in London. The photographs were taken mostly by Eleonor Grand Duchess of Hesse. The album includes views of the palace at Livadia and portraits of Georg and Ludwig of Hesse, the Tsarina with her son Alexis, the Tsar and Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig with their sons, the Tsar’s daughters Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, members of the Imperial and Hessian families playing tennis, on board the Standart and in group portraits.

 Diana Mandache http://royalromania.wordpress.com

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in Denmark 1901, Film

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European royal families, History, Imperial Russia, Romanov, Royalty, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna

I have put here an old film with Tsar Nicholas II of Russia during a visit in Denmark to King Christian IX, his grandfather, in 1901. They had the tradition of gathering in September to celebrate Queen Louise’s birthday, a tradition that continued even after her death in 1898. Parades and military processions were part of the festivities. Official photographer Peter Elfelt captured these early days of autumn 1901 on film.

(Source Europe film treasures. Danish Film Institute)

Diana Mandache http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009

Maria Alexandrovna: an exquisite Imperial Cipher

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European royal families, Grand Duchess of Edinburgh, Grand Duchess of Russia, Imperial Russia, Maria Alexandrovna, Romanoff, Romanov, Royal ciphers, Royalty, Russia, Victorian era

Maria Alexandrovna, daughter of Tsar Alexander II married Alfred Duke of Edinburgh in 1874. Her title was that of Duchess of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, styled also as Her Imperial Highness (Russian). She used  for correspondence at the end of 19th century a very interesting and beautiful Imperial Russian Cipher (the monogram MA and the Imperial Russian Crown). The design is typical of the Victorian era with both English and Russian influences. The quality of the paper and the vivid colours used for this Imperial cipher are remarkable. It is embossed and the painting is obviously hand made. This particular example from one of Maria Alexandrovna’s letters survived in perfect condition at the Romanian National Archives. ©Diana Mandache

©Diana Mandache http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009

Rare shotguns of King of Romania & Tsar Nicholas II of Russia auctioned in 2007

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Eastern Europe, Familia regala, History, Imperial Russia, King Michael of Romania, Regele Mihai, Romania, Romanian Royal Family, Romanov, Royalty, Russia, Tsar Nicholas II

Firearms that belonged to the King of Romania

 

In mid-March 2007, a very intersting auction, for the royal related news follwers, took place at Julia’s Spring Firearms, USA. A pair of Purdey Extra Finish 20 ga. double barrel shotguns custom made for the King of Romania was sold for the handsome sum of $115,000.

 

 

The Parker Gun made for Tsar Nicholas II

 

 Another sale at the same auction, one of the most anticipated lots, was a Parker shotgun originally made for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. The gun, carrying a presale estimate of $225,000-325,000, generated an unusually high pre-auction interest. The interesting thing is that the shotgun has never been in the Tsar’s possession, because the war broke off just as the shotgun was finished in the Parker’s workshops. The gun was sold for $287,500 which I understand is a new world record for any American shotgun ever sold at auction.

 

  ©Diana Mandache  http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009

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The Romanovs, 1909: A letter of Maria Alexandrovna to Marie, her daugher

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Eastern Europe, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, European royal families, Grand Duchess, Herzogin, History, Imperial Russia, Maria Alexandrovna, Romanoff, Romanov, Royalty, Saxe-Coburg, Tsar Nicholas II

The Royal Ciphre of Maria Alexandrovna

 

On 17 March 1909 Maria Alexandrovna went to Tsarskoe Selo and lunched with the Imperial family. She wrote the first impressions in a letter to her daugher Marie of Romania: 

 Alix looks blooming and was amiable, we talked a great deal about Ella, as she does not approve of all her exaggerated charitable doings. At luncheon a free conversation is impossible, as those big girls are all ears. As they never see any lady, ces Demoiselles are much interested at every newcomer and examined me from head to foot. I thought they were laughing at me, but they whispered to their father, that I was “a very amusing Aunt!” Fancy what dull members of the family they must see, to find me so entertaining and in that smiles too, where one feels so jênée and has to carry on the conversation. [Extract from RNA holdings]

©Diana Mandache and http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009.

Moscow Coronation Ceremony, 26 May 1896

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Balkans, Casa Regala, Eastern Europe, European royal families, Familia regala, History, Imperial Russia, King Ferdinand, Queen Marie of Romania, Regina Maria, Romania, Romanian Royal Family, Romanoff, Romanov, Royalty, Russia, Tsar Nicholas II

Domine Salvum Fac Imperatorem – Domine Salvum Fac Imperatricem

 

I synthesise here from the newspapers of the time (New York Times, Illustrated London News):  The Emperor Nicholas II wore the dark-green and gold uniform of a General of the Guards, with high boots. The Empress Alexandra was dressed in a silver robe, with a long train, borne by four pages. After donning the mantle the Emperor assumed the diamond collar of St Andrew.

 

Nicholas II received the imperial crown from the Metropolitan of St Petersburg and placed it upon his head, then took his sceptre, on top of which the famous Orloff diamond blazed. The orb of the empire was placed in his right hand and the emperor then ascended the Dias, taking his seat upon the throne with the Empress still standing next to him.

 This was the supreme moment of all, and when gazing around the church, and seeing representatives from nearly every district of this mighty empire beholding the Tsar sitting on his throne of state, with the symbols of power given to him by the highest religious authority in the land, one had a realizing sense of the great power wielded by the man who was now Russia’s sovereign, for whom the grandiose coronation function was held. The Empress knelt before him on a crimson velvet cushion and the Emperor placed upon her head her own crown, distinctively surmounted by a large sapphire. The Empress’s Ladies of Honour fixed the crown on her head with a gold comb, and then robed her in her mantle of cloth of gold, ermine lined, similar with the Emperor’s. The coronation next procedeed with a grand fete and reception in the Granite Palace in the Kremlin. Among many royal guests were also present the  crown prince and princess of Romania.

 

The image bellow shows the beautiful gown worn with that occasion by Marie of Romania, a first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II.

 

 ©Diana Mandache and  http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited.

Maria Pavlovna Grand Duchess of Russia wrote in November 1918…

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documents, Eastern Europe, European royal families, Familia regala, Grand Duchess of Russia, History, Imperial Family, King Alexander of Yugoslavia, Romanian Royal Family, Romanov, Royalty, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Yugoslavia

The set of emeralds was bought by King Alexander of Serbia in 1922 for Mignon

 In November 1918, Marie Pavlovna, daughter of Paul Alexandrovich Grand Duke of Russia, was in Odessa facing the approacing Bolsheviks. She wrote there a last impression on her father, who was in prison at Peter and Paul Fortress in Petrograd:

“My Father, Nicolas Michailovich, George Michailovich, Dmitri Konstantinovich and Gabriel (one of the many sons of Uncle Kostia) were put into prison this summer by the Bolsheviks where Papa has now been for over three months and the others for about four… Papa’s health has not been strong the last few years and these 20 months of revolution have tired him surely; he wants good food and much care and now he is deprived of both. He spends his days in a little cell, dark and damp and wants all his courage and extraordinarily self-control not to breakdown under such dreadful circumstances”.  

In January 1919 Paul Alexandrovich with other grand-dukes were murdered by the Bolsheviks. The news reached Maria Pavlovna (Putiatin) via England to her then place of exile in Romania. Maria Pavlovna Grand Duchess of Russia sold many of her jewels during the exile years, like the emerald set: the tiara and necklace from the image which was sold in 1922 to King Alexander of Serbia who gave it as a wedding gift to his wife Mignon, Princess of Romania.

©Diana Mandache and http://royalromania.wordpress.com 2009.

A rare drawing of Victoria Melita Grand Duchess of Russia & Marie of Romania

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European royal families, Familia regala, Grand Duchess Kirill, Grand Duchess of Russia, History, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Queen Marie of Romania, Regina Maria, Romania, Romanian Royal Family, Romanov, Royalty, Russia, Saxe-Coburg, Victoria Melita of Edinburgh

Victoria Melita & Marie

   

 

 

Victoria Melita remained Queen Marie’s most devoted sister. This rare drawing superbly captures their close friendship. It was made in 1923 in Dinard, England.

 

 

 ©Diana Mandache