This beautiful colour calendar dating from 1910 showcases the last Imperial family: Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, and their five children: the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and the Tsesarevich Alexei.

The price in the lower right hand corner was 20 kopecks!

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 15 January, 2013

The Mint of Poland offers a series of collector coins dedicated to the exceptional Tsar’s Fabergé Eggs. These absolute jewellery masterpieces symbolize extravagance and luxury. Designed by Peter Carl Fabergé and his assistants for the Russian tsars, Alexander III and Nicholas II, the eggs were made of gold and silver embellished with enamel and gemstones.

Until now the following coins have been released: the "Coronation Egg", the "Lily of the Valley Egg" the "Clover Leaf Egg”, “The Duchess of Marlborough Egg”, “the "Pansy Egg" and the „Bay Tree Egg”. The forthcoming  coin of the collection is the “100th Anniversary of Patriotic War 1812” – inspired by The Napoleonic Egg.

Obverse:
At the bottom – open Spring Flowers Egg (1899-1903) with a miniature basket of wood anemones inside. Above – the Niue Island’s Coat of Arms with the inscription “ELIZABETH II” and the mint’s mark (m/w) below. Around the Queen’s effigy – a decorative neorococo scroll ornament. At the top – the issuer’s name: NIUE ISLAND. On the right – a nominal value of the coin (2 dollars), on the left – the year of issue 2012.

Reverse:
In the central part – the stylized image of the original "Napoleonic Egg ". At the top, along the edge - the name of the series in English: IMPERIAL FABERGÉ EGGS. At the bottom – a fragment of the six Russian regiments fighted against the army of Napoleon, depicted in pad printing.

© Mint of Poland. 29 October, 2012

Bernard Piguet, director and chief auctioneer of the Hôtel des Ventes Geneva, announces forthcoming sales of exceptional importance. From 10 to 13 December, emperors, kings, queens and princes will be the virtual guests of the Geneva based auction house, revealing a remarkable set of objects that have never before appeared on the market: Prince Romanov, Prince Youssoupov, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, King Boris III of Bulgarie, King Farouk of Egypt, Ferdinand Thormeyer (tutor to the children of Tsar Alexander III), Serge de Diaghilev, Serge Lifar… This is a unique opportunity to plunge into the world of these great names of history thanks to these many objects of prestigious provenance.

The special Russia auction which will be held at the Hôtel des Ventes of Geneva from Monday 10 December will give the general public an opportunity to immerse themselves in the lives of the last Tsars of Russia, in their private lives at court as well as their political and military roles. The collection includes unpublished personal photographs of the Russian imperial family, including a photo album – showing Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovitch trying out the trapeze in a room in the imperial palace and playing croquet with his sister Olga Alexandrovna – and photographs of  Tsarevitch Alexei, who was assassinated at the age of 14. These photographs as well as the unpublished autographed letters of the last Tsar Nicholas II to the head of the army Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaïevich, supreme commander of the land and sea armies at the beginning of the First World War will undoubtedly be the outstanding items on the opening evening of the auction. Other items of Russian military history in the period before the Revolution will also be offered for sale at this exceptional auction: shoulder decorations, officers’ helmets, medals… Books about the treasures of the Emperors of Russia, from Catherine II to Nicholas II, complete this prestigious collection. Most of these unpublished documents, that have never been displayed to the public before, come from the collection of the Romanov family.

The Hôtel des Ventes will also be offering for sale a collection of precious objects, family souvenirs and photographs that have never before appeared on the market from the estate of Her Majesty Queen  Victoria-Eugenia of Spain, who died in Lausanne in 1969. One of the top lots is undoubtedly a Russian decoration in gold and red enamel of the order of Saint Alexander Nevski.

The jewellery sale will include a cigarette box and two gold and diamond pins, offered by His Majesty King Boris III of Bulgaria to his prime minister. They have remained in the same family to this day.

© Hotel des Ventes. 22 October, 2012

During my recent visit to Ekaterinburg I was delighted to find such a rich collection of books, postcards and other collectibles on the Romanovs. Any Romanovphile will be overwhelmed with the selections found in the city's shops, as well as at the Church on the Blood and Ganina Yama.

Of particular interest were beautiful colour portraits of the Russian Imperial family, including Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and the Tsarevich Alexei. These portraits are all hand-painted by a local artist and sold in the gift shop at the Church on the Blood.

I was able to add another 40 photocards and 45 postcards of the Russian Imperial family to my own personal collection. All of them are of exceptional quality, and many I have not seen published in any pictorial to date.

© Paul Gilbert @ Royal Russia. 09 July, 2012