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Lot Essay
Study of the account books from His Imperial Majesty's Cabinet, preserved in the Russian State Historical Archives reveals the early history of this Imperial presentation box:
Folio 121 verso - 122: Snuff boxes with precious stones
Entry No. 22: 1 August 1897. Circular, green and opalescent enamel with stones, with space for portrait, bought from the jeweller Faberg. Price 16605 roubles
Exit: 19 August 1897. Reworked by the jeweller Faberg with the cypher of His Majesty (see No 58)
Folio 66 verso - 67: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 58: August 19th 1897. Circular, green and opalescent, with stones, reworked snuffbox removing the place for portrait No. 22, price 1805 roubles
Exit: 28 December 1899 To the clerk of the Department Education, acting State Councillor Skorobogatov
Folio 73 verso - 74: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 120: 5 January 1900, With stones, bought from acting State Councillor Skorobogatov (ex No. 58) 1805 roubles
Exit: 17 June 1900 to acting State Councillor Nikolai Platonovich Barsukov
Folio 75 verso - 76: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 139: 1 August 1900, Green enamel, with eagles, circular, with stones, bought from acting State Councillor Barsukov, price 1805 roubles (ex No. 120 and earlier No. 58)
Exit: 1 December 1901, To French Chief of Protocol Mister Crozier.
It is interesting to note that His Majesty's Cabinet was buying items which were 'unfinished' at the time of their purchase. Blank cartouches were later set either with Imperial portrait miniatures or Imperial cyphers. It was not unusual for such gifts to be returned by Russian recipients to His Imperial Majesty's Cabinet for their cash equivalent, a practice common throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.
We are grateful to Mr. Valentin Skurlov for his research on this box.
For a similar box in blue enamel with a miniature of the Emperor, see Parker Leslie, Faberg: Catalogue of the Lillian Thomas Pratt Collection, (Richmond VA, 1976), plate 286.
Folio 121 verso - 122: Snuff boxes with precious stones
Entry No. 22: 1 August 1897. Circular, green and opalescent enamel with stones, with space for portrait, bought from the jeweller Faberg. Price 16605 roubles
Exit: 19 August 1897. Reworked by the jeweller Faberg with the cypher of His Majesty (see No 58)
Folio 66 verso - 67: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 58: August 19th 1897. Circular, green and opalescent, with stones, reworked snuffbox removing the place for portrait No. 22, price 1805 roubles
Exit: 28 December 1899 To the clerk of the Department Education, acting State Councillor Skorobogatov
Folio 73 verso - 74: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 120: 5 January 1900, With stones, bought from acting State Councillor Skorobogatov (ex No. 58) 1805 roubles
Exit: 17 June 1900 to acting State Councillor Nikolai Platonovich Barsukov
Folio 75 verso - 76: Snuff boxes with the cypher of His Majesty the Emperor Nicholas II:
Entry No. 139: 1 August 1900, Green enamel, with eagles, circular, with stones, bought from acting State Councillor Barsukov, price 1805 roubles (ex No. 120 and earlier No. 58)
Exit: 1 December 1901, To French Chief of Protocol Mister Crozier.
It is interesting to note that His Majesty's Cabinet was buying items which were 'unfinished' at the time of their purchase. Blank cartouches were later set either with Imperial portrait miniatures or Imperial cyphers. It was not unusual for such gifts to be returned by Russian recipients to His Imperial Majesty's Cabinet for their cash equivalent, a practice common throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries.
We are grateful to Mr. Valentin Skurlov for his research on this box.
For a similar box in blue enamel with a miniature of the Emperor, see Parker Leslie, Faberg: Catalogue of the Lillian Thomas Pratt Collection, (Richmond VA, 1976), plate 286.