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Lot Essay
The Imperial Russian Court and more especially under the reign of Nicholas II was most reknown amongst European Courts for his lavish and expensive gifts to foreign dignitaries coming to Russia.
The responsibility of purchasing and allocating these gifts, under the strict supervision of the Tsar, was given to the Imperial Cabinet which was keeping a number of well detailed ledgers.
These ledgers contain the description of each item, its cost, the name of the Court supplier and the name of the recipient. Thanks to the laborious research of Valentin Skurlov, our consultant in St. Petersburg, we are, now, able to trace the background of one of these Bolin Imperial presentation snuff-boxes which were the most coverted items amongst Imperial gifts.
"Presentation snuff-boxes, whether with the emperor's miniature portrait or his cypher, were all administered by the Cameral Office of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty. Those with the cypher of the emperor, with very few exceptions, were awarded to Russians in state service holding ranks from class three to five on the Table of Ranks. As with the boxes bearing the sovereign's portrait, they were either awarded to commemorate an anniversary in teh recipient's career or in gratitude for a special service rendered. They were also included among the gifts awarded to foreign dignitaries in connection with state visits, as gifts to ambassadors ending their mission, or as a token commemorating a special Russian event or celebration... During the reign of Nicholas II, some 280 Russian subjects and 90 foreign dignitaries received the gift of a presentation snuff-box with the emperor's jewelled cypher. They were made by the foremost jewellers of St. Petersburg, primarily by the court suppliers Fabergé, Hahn, Bolin and Köchly. A few boxes were commissioned from the jewellers Ivanov, Butz, and Blank as well. U. Tillander-Godenhielm, The Russian Imperial Award System 1894-1917 (Helsinki, 2005), p. 179.
Based on the research made by Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm, 21 snuff-boxes with the Sovereign's Cypher where produced by the Bolin firm.
The present box purchased by the Imperial Cabernet on May 15th, 1909 directly from the Bolin firm, was awarded to the Serbian envoy Popovic on December 12th, 1912. Described only as gold and diamonds it was at 1800 roubles the most expensive presentation box with the cypher of the Sovereign ever purchased by the Imperial Cabinet from the Bolin firm.
We are more than grateful to Valentin Skurlov for the above information.
The responsibility of purchasing and allocating these gifts, under the strict supervision of the Tsar, was given to the Imperial Cabinet which was keeping a number of well detailed ledgers.
These ledgers contain the description of each item, its cost, the name of the Court supplier and the name of the recipient. Thanks to the laborious research of Valentin Skurlov, our consultant in St. Petersburg, we are, now, able to trace the background of one of these Bolin Imperial presentation snuff-boxes which were the most coverted items amongst Imperial gifts.
"Presentation snuff-boxes, whether with the emperor's miniature portrait or his cypher, were all administered by the Cameral Office of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty. Those with the cypher of the emperor, with very few exceptions, were awarded to Russians in state service holding ranks from class three to five on the Table of Ranks. As with the boxes bearing the sovereign's portrait, they were either awarded to commemorate an anniversary in teh recipient's career or in gratitude for a special service rendered. They were also included among the gifts awarded to foreign dignitaries in connection with state visits, as gifts to ambassadors ending their mission, or as a token commemorating a special Russian event or celebration... During the reign of Nicholas II, some 280 Russian subjects and 90 foreign dignitaries received the gift of a presentation snuff-box with the emperor's jewelled cypher. They were made by the foremost jewellers of St. Petersburg, primarily by the court suppliers Fabergé, Hahn, Bolin and Köchly. A few boxes were commissioned from the jewellers Ivanov, Butz, and Blank as well. U. Tillander-Godenhielm, The Russian Imperial Award System 1894-1917 (Helsinki, 2005), p. 179.
Based on the research made by Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm, 21 snuff-boxes with the Sovereign's Cypher where produced by the Bolin firm.
The present box purchased by the Imperial Cabernet on May 15th, 1909 directly from the Bolin firm, was awarded to the Serbian envoy Popovic on December 12th, 1912. Described only as gold and diamonds it was at 1800 roubles the most expensive presentation box with the cypher of the Sovereign ever purchased by the Imperial Cabinet from the Bolin firm.
We are more than grateful to Valentin Skurlov for the above information.