Russian Imperial and Noble Jewels


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Romanov Jewellery

Hi there, I'm new to the web page and am passionately interested in the Romanov and Yusupov families.
In particular I'm interested in their collections ie furniture, jewellery etc. I was wanting to know if anyone knows what happened to the incredible collection of Yusupov jewellery that was found by the Soviets in 1925 and which there is a famous photo of them sorting through. Was it broken up and the stones sold seperately? (Hope not) or were the beautiful pieces sold as the items they were? I've never seen any of the pieces in that photograph shown anywhere since then. And also what happened to all those royal tiaras that are illustrated on this site in particular that magnificent Diamond and Pearl one that is often shown in photos of the Empress Alexandra? Sorry for so many questions at once!! I'd be so pleased if anyone could help
Cheers
Simon (From Melbourne, Australia)
 
Lady Jean said:
The Forbes family is auctioning off its collection of Faberge Eggs through Sotheby's in April. Here is a link:

http://search.sothebys.com/liveauctions/tfc/index.html


I'm disappointed these will now be dispersed, just like the jewels have been. At least we will have one last chance to see them during the exhibit.

I was particularly saddened when the Forbes family sold their collection of Faberge Eggs. The eggs had been on exhibit at the Forbes Building in New York City (for free!) and I was fortunate to see them a few years ago. After seeing these magnificient eggs in pictures for years, it was thrilling to see them in person. They are spectacular! BTW, the Forbes eggs were purchased by a Russian and they are now back in Russia.

See "Russian Tycoon Buys Forbes Faberge Eggs" at http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/04/cx_pm_0204fabergesale.html
 
I recently saw a Faberge Exibit that was fantastc. There were quite a few of the Imerial Eggs. I think there were 11 of them. As well as some jewlery and desk stuff. It was wonderfull
 
EkaterinaMarie said:
I recently saw a Faberge Exibit that was fantastc. There were quite a few of the Imerial Eggs. I think there were 11 of them. As well as some jewlery and desk stuff. It was wonderfull

I wonder if the Forbes collection was part of the exhibit that was at the NY Public Library a couple of years ago. The Maria Feodorovna faberge eggs? Maybe the Forbes family loaned their collection to this exhibit? If so, then I saw them. It was a small exhibit, a little disappointing because I had expected more, but the individual items were all amazing, of course. And the bonus was I got extra credit for my Russian history class at the time.
 
excellent thread, thanks to everybody for the photos and history information, i've really enjoyed it.
sorry casiraghitrio i don't know the answers
 
SusanE said:
I was particularly saddened when the Forbes family sold their collection of Faberge Eggs. The eggs had been on exhibit at the Forbes Building in New York City (for free!) and I was fortunate to see them a few years ago. After seeing these magnificient eggs in pictures for years, it was thrilling to see them in person. They are spectacular! BTW, the Forbes eggs were purchased by a Russian and they are now back in Russia.

See "Russian Tycoon Buys Forbes Faberge Eggs" at http://www.forbes.com/2004/02/04/cx_pm_0204fabergesale.html

I think for the most part private collectors perform a good service to use their money for preserving things like this. However, it is unfortunate that these things aren't all together and in a museum for all to see, anytime. To have history locked up in a private vault or palace somewhere is something criminal. What is the point of preserving these objects if the beauty is not enjoyed by everyone who wants to admire it? And the bonus to these private collectors is that if they donate or loan these things to the museums, they get tax writeoff. :rolleyes:
 
rUSSIAN TURQUOISE TIARA

Those tiaras was part of a complet set of turquoises and diamonds, created for the Romanov. When the Grande duchesse Olga became queen of the Hellens, she asked to get an exact replica. When she died, she let the complet set to her last son, Prince Christophe of Greece. This set was frequently worn by his wife, Princesse Françoise of France. It was then sold by the Prince. According to his son, Prince Michel, just 2 stones of turquoises remained in his family. It's now part of a bracelet worn by his wife Princesse Marina.
 
Well, dear members I think the Romanov jewels are simply incredible. While some are not to my taste who am I to argue. I particularly admire the Russian Field tiara which is made of sheaths of wheat made out of gold and diamonds, with a 35 carat yellow diamond in the center. The irony in it is that that is a copy of the original which was sold and presumeably taken apart, the sad fate of so many beautiful and wonderful works of the jewelers art if not genius.

My question arises from my reading a recent book The Jewels of the Tsars, by Prince Michael of Greece, who is a descendent I think of Nicholas I, in which he presents what appears to be a very modern photograph of a magnificent pearl and diamond tiara that was made orginally for Alexandra Federovna, the wife of Nicholas I. It was sold to the Duke of Westminster and then was sold to, of all people, Imelda Marcos.

The woman appears to be a total vulgarian. It was reported that she had a
French jeweler dismantle the jewels so the gems could be arranged into something more wearable. Is this true? Does anyone know if the tiara has in fact been destroyed-murdered if you will-or is it still in her possession. Well what could you expect from the wife of a Phillipine dictator with an obsession for shoes. Cheers.
 
Thomas, I just ordered "The Jewels of the Tsars" by Prince Michael, as well as the Geoffrey Munn "Tiaras: A History of Splendor"--and I cannot wait for them to get here!
Anyway, didn't Imelda end up with a lot of historic jewellery? I remember that was discussed in a forum once, but I can't remember which. I want to agree with you and say that she dismantled the tiara--and for that alone she should have lost her country! Tacky, disgraceful, vulgar, tasteless, and I can't think of anymore adjectives. I'm just sick about that tiara. It was a stunner. I
 
I hope that she really enjoys the undoubtably 1980's style of tacky jewellery she had made from it. Some people only deserve paste, rhinestones, and vermeill.
 
Didn't all of the Marcos jewels get confiscated after their fall from power? I know quite a few of them were auctioned. The Marcos couple were terrible people; they stole billions from their country and squandered it on themselves. Oddly enough, it makes sense to me that they should buy Romanov jewels...bought with the labour of the Russian serfs, IMO. LOL
 
Thomas Parkman said:
...a recent book "The Jewels of the Tsars", by Prince Michael of Greece... in which he presents what appears to be a very modern photograph of a magnificent pearl and diamond tiara that was made orginally for Alexandra Federovna, the wife of Nicholas I. It was sold to the Duke of Westminster and then was sold to, of all people, Imelda Marcos.
This tiara was discussed in the Jewels of the Nobility thread, here.
To save excessive link-clicking (ahem.. Thomas) here is a reprise of the tiara pic.

It's hard to imagine that the wife of the Philippines dictator had this work of art destroyed, but there you go. People will reveal their true natures in different ways...
 
Incredible, beautiful. Staggeringly magnificent. Only a person with the mentality of a bathroom cleaner could order such a thing destroyed. The pciture in Prince Michael's book seemed to be very modern which is why I asked if in fact it had been dismantled. Why on earth did the stupid woman buy the thing in the first place. She could just as easily gone out and commisioned works of jewelry to suit her specifications. Lord, what fools these mortals be. Cheers. ?????
 
I find it incredibly sad that this tiara has been dismantled. It was stunning. Does anyone have a pic of Maria Feodorovna (or anybody, for that matter) wearing this magnificent piece?
 
This tiara was discussed in the Jewels of the Nobility thread, here.

It's hard to imagine that the wife of the Philippines dictator had this work of art destroyed, but there you go. People will reveal their true natures in different ways...
ok so I know that maybe she might have kept her reasons for dismantling this tiara private, but on the off chance that she did, why in the name of all that is holy did she do something like that to such a beautiful piece (plus where is it now?)
 
Well, dear people, I tried to track the thing down by googling Imelda Marcos. Can you believe the abomination is still alive and according to information I read which I cannot believe the woman is still trying to run for something!!! These politicians are like the mange, you just never get rid of them. No names please.

In any case on one site they showed jewels, jewels and more jewels but no tiara. When she and hubby dictator fled the country they left behind lots of tacky goodies which were confiscated and have now been supposedly sold. But where the remains of that tiara are is anybody's guess. What I am really thinking at this point cannot be put in a family website. I would note that the idiot Soviets did try to atone for this one minor sin, ie selling the thing in the first place, by having an exact (?) replica made of it. Cheers.
 
Did those eggs have any meaning to them or were they just decoration?
 
in the russian and greek orthodox church easter is much more important than christmas. During lent people do not eat diary products and at easter have eggs (often coloured red, the colour of the blood of Christ). the romanovs took it to a higher level, and gave each other beautifull faberge eggs at easter.
I have heard say that the egg represented heavan and earth (the yolk is earth and the white heaven)

Did those eggs have any meaning to them or were they just decoration?
 
here is a reprise of the tiara pic.

It's hard to imagine that the wife of the Philippines dictator had this work of art destroyed, but there you go. People will reveal their true natures in different ways...

The tiara on the picture, isn't that just a copy or is it the real Romanov-tiara? Did she actually destroy the real Tzaritsa's tiara?? Mental disorder, anyone?

And here I was planning to wear it for my wedding... sigh:sad:. Now I might have to go for the Vladimir pearl tiara instead:wub:. Do you think Queen Elizabeth will lend it to me? Perhaps if I marry Prince William...:D
 
I believe that good ole tasteless, tacky, no sense of history or beauty Imelda had one of the most beautiful tiaras ever created DESTROYED, well, dismantled. Probably turned into some tacky looking crap. What a waste. It puts me in a bad mood!
 
Well, some people haven't got the brains that God gave a billy goat, and others have a really inflated opinion of themselves, and think that nothing that came before them is worth anything, while still others have absolutely no taste or respect for history. Imelda Marcos fits nicely into all of the above categories.
 
I would like to say perhaps she saved the tiara setting and reused the jewels. But from everything I've read about IM, she probably had it melted down and made into shoes.
 
More likely shoe buckles. :eek:
 
Like Thomas I tried to find some pictures of Imelda wearing pearls, but that wasn't very easy. I found lots of old and new pics of her wearing jewellery, but only 2 brooches set with one pearl each.
What did she do with the Romanov-pearls?? You would think that she would wear them a lot considering the value, she seems to like to show off her fortune.
Maybe she made a necklace for her cat or parrot or something.
 
I'm with Warren; they're shoe buckles now.
 
Heres HI&RH The Princess Nicholas of Greece with her diamond fringe tiara.
 

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