Die Großherzogin Vladimir,geb. Herzogin von Mecklenburg-Schwerin oben im Bild in
einem Boyaren- Kostüm anlässlich eines Kostümballs
mit ihrer Smaragd-Schmuck-Collection, verteilt auf den Kokoschnik,
Brust, Knöpfen, Collier, Armband und Ohren.
Beeindruckend mit ihren Smaragden gepanzert, hatte die Fürstin
im Urteil der gesellschaftlichen Chronik allen übrigen Schmuck
in den Schatten gestellt, wenn sie im vollen Ornat an den Cotillons
bei Boni de Castellane im Palais Rose erschien.
Die vielleicht größte private Schmucksammlung vor dem
Ersten Weltkrieg, die Juwelen der Großfürstin Wladimir,
waren anfangs der zwanziger Jahre bereits in alle Winde zerstreut.
Die Großfürstin war aus Rußland Ende 1919 geflohen,
über Rumänien, wo sie ihrer Nichte Marie (der Königin von Rumänien), die ganz vernarrt in Saphire war, bereits Ihr herrrliches
Saphir-Diadem verkaufte.
Ihre Schmuckschatulle wurde damals unter ihren vier Kinder aufgeteilt.
Sohn Boris erhielt die Smaragde und verkauft den 107 karätigen
Smaragd sowie das herrliche Smaragdcollier, eine russische Arbeit
des 19. Jahhunderts an Cartier.
Die legendären Smaragde fanden im Zuge der Zeit ihren Weg nach
Amerika...weiter zum 2. Teil
The Grand Duchess Vladimir in a native Boyar costume, wearing her
emeralds displayed on her breast, head-jewel, as necklace, earrings,
bracelets and brooches.
About the Grand-Duchess........BERLIN, September 3 1900. A
serious quarrel has broken out between the Czar and his aunt, the
Grand Duchess of Vladimir, which has had the result of causing her
husband, the Grand Duke, to tender the resignation of his office as
Commander of the Metropolitan Military District of St. Petersburg
and of the Imperial Guard.
The trouble, which has not only set all Russian society by the ears,
but has also perturbed several courts, including that of Emperor William,
is due to a question of baccarat and roulette. Last spring the Czar,
alarmed by the extraordinary increase of the scandals at court, in
society and in the army due to high play, issued an edict strictly
forbidding baccarat or roulette.
This ukase followed almost immediately the startling discovery made
by Nicholas that the chapter of one of the principal churches of the
metropolis had pawned the church plate and jeweled icons to pay gambling
debts contracted at baccarat and roulette.
By the army and clergy the Emperor's commands have been obeyed, and
baccarat has stopped at the Yacht and other leading clubs. But society
has treated the imperial edict with something very much akin to derision,
and this is largely owing to the attitude adopted by the Grand Duchess
Vladimir.
The latter is a German Princess by birth, and the only foreign woman
who has declined to change the faith in which she was reared for that
of her husband on marriage. The Grand Duchess is passionately addicted
to gambling. To her is due the introduction of the roulette table
as an article of furniture in the saloons of most of the palaces an
mansions of St. Petersburg, and the edict of her nephew in no way
modified her openly proclaimed determination to visit no house and
to attend no entertainment where roulette and baccarat were not provided
for her amusement. As the Grand Duchess is the most dashing member
of the imperial family and the acknowledged leader of St. Petersburg
society, from which the Czar and Czarina hold wholly aloof, the great
world of the Russian Capital has ignored the ukase of the Emperor
and taken the cue from his aunt.
On discovering the manner in which his orders were defied and the
part which the Grand Duchess has played in the matter, the Czar intimated
to her that unless she set an example of obedience to his behest he
would reluctantly be compelled to visit her with a public token of
his displeasure by banishing her for a time from court and depriving
her of the use of the imperial liveries and of imperial honors.
The San Francisco Chronicle, September 4, 1900
THE COLLECTION:
