 RUSSIAN ROYALTY REAPPEARS Unprecedented Discovery of Imperial Correspondence To go Under the Hammer in Geneva 
Click on the above image to download a copy of the 74-page catalogue
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An Exceptional Collection of over 2,000 Intimate Letters, Postcards,
Photographs and Documents from the Siblings of Nicholas II,
Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias to be sold at auction on
Monday 6th December 2010.
Geneva based auctioneers Hôtel des Ventes will be selling a highly important and
unique collection of extensive correspondence, photographs and drawings exchanged
between H.I.H Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, H.I.H Grand Duchess Xenia
Alexandrovna, H.I.H Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and H.I.H Grand Duchess
Olga Alexandrovna and their private tutor Mr Ferdinand Thormeyer of Switzerland.
The collection has a total value of 70’000-100’000 Swiss francs
 More than 250 letters of the Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna (1882-1960) written between 1935 and 1939 with her Genevese tutor Ferdinand Thormeyer.
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Predominantly written in French, the
affectionate tone of the 1000 letters provides
a real and emotive account of the lives of Tsar
Alexander III’s children during a turbulent
period of Russia’s history. The
correspondence, dating from 1881 to 1959,
portrays the well-preserved innocence of
Xenia, Mikhail and Olga in the early letters of
their childhood at Gatchina Palace and
development into the mature comprehension
of their official role and circumstance, relayed
in an entirely personal and intimate manner.
After the death of Alexander III, Mr
Thormeyer unexpectedly finds himself
confidante to Mikhail and in particular, Olga,
who writes to him regularly up until her comparatively impoverished death in 1960. The collection of 250 photographs - often taken by Thormeyer, Olga, or Mikhail himself - document various occasions in the park at Gatchina, in the company of the Imperial family’s entourage and Russian Army Generals as well as the development of Mikhail’s military career. Other correspondence includes over 400 telegrams and some 150 postcards following the events and movements of the Imperial family as well as 12 Imperial luncheon menu cards. Hiding in the trunk was a precious Imperial gift of a gold, silver and sapphire cigarette case from the then Tsarevich Nicolas and his brother Grand Duke George Alexandrovich bearing a signed personal thank you message. Accompanying this significant Romanov collection is a rare 1856 elephant folio commemorative Album of the Coronation of Alexander II, as well as a variety of Russian paintings, icons, silver, porcelain and works of art. This specialised Russian sale is part of Hôtel des Ventes’ Winter Fine Art & Antiques auction.
RUSSIAN AUCTION:
PUBLIC EXHIBITION: For more information, please visit:
Source: Hôtel des Ventes Press Release
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