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Lot Essay
The Imperial Russian court was renowned for presenting both opulent and functional gifts, such as the present jewelled gold cigarette case, to Russian and foreign dignitaries. The fashion for smoking and scope for adapting both the form and decoration of a jewelled cigarette case made it a favored gift from the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty at the turn of the 20th century. The favoured adornment for these cases was the state insignia of the double-headed eagle.
The Emperor himself was often involved in the design and presentation of these cigarette cases, which were typically awarded to foreign dignitaries as an act of diplomacy or as a means of commemorating special occasions connected to state visits. At the turn of the century, cigarette cases with jewelled state insignia were primarily made by the court suppliers: Fabergé, Hahn, Morozov, Koechli, and Tillander, who designed the present lot (U. Tillander-Godenhielm, The Russian Imperial Award System 1894-1917, Helsinki, 2005, p. 215).
Alexander Tillander founded his jewellery business in 1860 and was succeeded by his son, Alexander Tillander Jr, who took over management of the firm in 1910. Between 1896 and 1911, the firm provided the Imperial Cabinet with a variety of objets de vertu, including cigarette cases decorated with the Imperial double-headed eagle, such as the present lot (U. Tillander-Godenhielm, op. cit., p. 387).
The Emperor himself was often involved in the design and presentation of these cigarette cases, which were typically awarded to foreign dignitaries as an act of diplomacy or as a means of commemorating special occasions connected to state visits. At the turn of the century, cigarette cases with jewelled state insignia were primarily made by the court suppliers: Fabergé, Hahn, Morozov, Koechli, and Tillander, who designed the present lot (U. Tillander-Godenhielm, The Russian Imperial Award System 1894-1917, Helsinki, 2005, p. 215).
Alexander Tillander founded his jewellery business in 1860 and was succeeded by his son, Alexander Tillander Jr, who took over management of the firm in 1910. Between 1896 and 1911, the firm provided the Imperial Cabinet with a variety of objets de vertu, including cigarette cases decorated with the Imperial double-headed eagle, such as the present lot (U. Tillander-Godenhielm, op. cit., p. 387).