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拍品專文
Prince Alexander Ivanovich Baryatinsky (1815-1879) was a Russian General, famous for his military career in the Caucasus and surrender of Imam Shamil, the political and religious leader of the Muslims in the Northern Caucasus, in 1859. A close friend of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich (future Emperor Alexander II) from childhood, he was appointed his adjutant in 1839 by Emperor Nicholas I. In 1856 he was appointed Viceroy (namestnik) of the Caucasus. By the early 1860s, his health had seriously deteriorated. He was relieved of his post after forty-eight years of active service and spent the last days of his life abroad.
According to its inscription, the present ring was presented to Baryatinsky in 1844, a year before his deployment to the Caucasus. As with many engravings from this period, it is most likely that the inscription was later added to the ring by a family member to denote its importance, thus explaining the variance to the inscribed spelling of Baryatinsky. In writings from the period, Prince Alexander's name appears variously as 'Boryatinsky' and 'Baryatinsky' (M. Korf, Diary. 1843, Moscow, 2004, p. 456).
The Imperial Cabinet Records detail three official presentations of rings to Alexander Baryatinsky. He was presented a diamond ring set with the cypher of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, costing 880 roubles, to celebrate the tsesarevich’s marriage in 1841. The following year, Baryatinsky was officially presented a second diamond ring set with the monogram of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, to commemorate the birth of her first child, Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna. A third ring set with diamonds and a cypher is recorded in the Cabinet Ledgers as being presented to Baryatinsky in 1843, for the birth of Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich.
While the presentation of a large diamond ring set with an alexandrite does not appear to be included in the Cabinet Ledgers, Dr Valentin Skurov and Dr Ulla TIllander-Godenhielm have suggested that it is possible that the presentation was a personal one, made from the Imperial Family's own accounts.
The impressive size, incorporation of valuable stones and rarity of Imperial presentation rings from this period further attest to the significance of this alexandrite-set ring. Discovered in the Ural Mountains in 1834, alexandrite is celebrated for its colour change effect: the stone appears either raspberry red or emerald green, depending on the light in which it is viewed. The value of the stone is further enhanced by its rarity and just one crystal of alexandrite was found for every hundred or more emeralds mined in Russia. The rarity and beauty of alexandrite make it a fitting choice for a ring presented to one of the Grand Duke’s closest associates. The significance of the use of alexandrite in a ring given to Baryatinsky is further enhanced by the fact that alexandrite was specifically named for Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich and it is fabled as having been discovered on his sixteenth birthday, when the tsesarevich came of age.
We are grateful to Dr Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm and Dr Valentin Skurlov for their assistance in researching the present lot.
According to its inscription, the present ring was presented to Baryatinsky in 1844, a year before his deployment to the Caucasus. As with many engravings from this period, it is most likely that the inscription was later added to the ring by a family member to denote its importance, thus explaining the variance to the inscribed spelling of Baryatinsky. In writings from the period, Prince Alexander's name appears variously as 'Boryatinsky' and 'Baryatinsky' (M. Korf, Diary. 1843, Moscow, 2004, p. 456).
The Imperial Cabinet Records detail three official presentations of rings to Alexander Baryatinsky. He was presented a diamond ring set with the cypher of Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich, costing 880 roubles, to celebrate the tsesarevich’s marriage in 1841. The following year, Baryatinsky was officially presented a second diamond ring set with the monogram of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, to commemorate the birth of her first child, Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna. A third ring set with diamonds and a cypher is recorded in the Cabinet Ledgers as being presented to Baryatinsky in 1843, for the birth of Grand Duke Nikolai Alexandrovich.
While the presentation of a large diamond ring set with an alexandrite does not appear to be included in the Cabinet Ledgers, Dr Valentin Skurov and Dr Ulla TIllander-Godenhielm have suggested that it is possible that the presentation was a personal one, made from the Imperial Family's own accounts.
The impressive size, incorporation of valuable stones and rarity of Imperial presentation rings from this period further attest to the significance of this alexandrite-set ring. Discovered in the Ural Mountains in 1834, alexandrite is celebrated for its colour change effect: the stone appears either raspberry red or emerald green, depending on the light in which it is viewed. The value of the stone is further enhanced by its rarity and just one crystal of alexandrite was found for every hundred or more emeralds mined in Russia. The rarity and beauty of alexandrite make it a fitting choice for a ring presented to one of the Grand Duke’s closest associates. The significance of the use of alexandrite in a ring given to Baryatinsky is further enhanced by the fact that alexandrite was specifically named for Grand Duke Alexander Nikolaevich and it is fabled as having been discovered on his sixteenth birthday, when the tsesarevich came of age.
We are grateful to Dr Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm and Dr Valentin Skurlov for their assistance in researching the present lot.