Jewels of Grandduchess Xenia Romanov | Ruby and Emerald Set Wedding-gift of the Tsar

Die Skizzen stammen aus einem Album der Großfürstin Xenia Alexandrowna von ihren Juwelen:

Anlässlich ihrer Hochzeit mit Großfürst Alexander am 6. August 1894 erhielt sie "From Papa and Mama on the wedding" beschriftet, eine Smaragd-Diamanten-Parure bestehend aus Diadem, Collier und Brosche, die nachweisslich von Nichols-Ewing stammt und beinahe 100 000 Rubel kostete.
"Papa" und "Mama" waren Zar Alexander III. und seine Gattin Maria Fjodeorowna, sie überreichten der Braut weiterhin eine Rubin-Diamant-Parure die von Bolin stammt.

"From Sandro on the wedding" Ihrem Mann Sandro erhielt sie, oben rechts eine Brosche in naturalistischer Form von Weinblättern mit einem grossen Smaragdtropfen, von Bolin gefertigt, den die Grossfürstin später ihrer Tochter Irina anläßlich ihrer Hochzeit weiterschenkte (diese Brosche ist auf dem Bild nach Auffindung der spektakulären Yussupov-Juwelen zu sehen).

Teile ihres Schmuck trug sie auf einem Kostümball (Bild), die Smaragd-Tropfen ihres Diadems auf dem Kopfputz drappiert, das Collier im oberen Teil ihres Brustschmucks. Die Rubin-Parure darunter als grosszügige Bordüre auf der Vorderseite, als Halsschmuck ein 3-reihiger Diamant-Choker mit enormen Diamanten. Ein Perlennetz mit hängenden Perltropfen und Perlengirlanden rahmen das Gesicht, prächtig wie der unglaubliche Reichtum der am russischen Zarenhof herrschte.

Emerald Parure Tiara Necklace |Romanov Jewels of the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrowna

Illustrated above is some of the jewellery produced for the wedding of TIH Grand Duke Alexander Mihailovich and Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna in 1894, which included an emerald and diamond parure made by Nichols-Ewing.
Documents at the Imperial Cabinet´s Treasury Department, kept in the Russian State Historical Archive in St Petersburg a memo from June 1894 states that:" Ewing, the jeweller working on an emerald collier and diadem crown, has said that if the parure is to be complete it will be necessary to produce an accompanying brooch which he is likewise in the process of designing. Should the latter not be ordered from him (once the drawing has been approved) if one has not already been procured without the knowledge of the Cabinets?"

The brooch was ordered from Nichols Ewing and the total price for the entire parure came to 99 306 roubles and 59 kopeks, of which
the necklace cost 38 944 roubles and 59 kopeks,
the diadem 41 417 roubles and 39 kopeks and
the brooch 18 944 roubles and 61 kopeks. In comparison, the most expensive Easter egg from Fabergé, the Romanov Tercentary Egg from1913 cost only 46 991 roubles and 50 kopeks. The difference is due to the precious stones and gold which were more expensive than the wages of the craftsmen.

The emerald pendant was a gift from her spouse Sandro on the wedding, made by Bolin. The Grand Duchess notes later that it was given to Princess Irina Aleksandrovna, her daughter.

The ruby and diamond parure was made Bolin, and was another wedding gift of her parents in 1894. Documents at the Imperial Cabinet´s Treasury Department, show that the court jeweller produced the necklace and the diadem of rubies.

The bill for the brooch has not been found. The necklace cost 42 100 roubles, including 2511 roubles for the cost of labour and the box.

The diadem cost 42 600 roubles, including 2570 roubles and 25 kopeks for the cost of labour and the box. Bolin had been supplied with many of the precious stones from the stores of the Imperial Cabinet, however and he therefore charged a total of 62 135 roubles for the two jewels.

The picture of Xenia Alexandrovna was taken at the Winter Palace costume ball in February 1903. Xenia was resplendent in the costume of a "boyarina", richly embroidered and covered with glittering jewels; her halo-shaped headdress sparkled with emeralds and diamonds, and she carried an ostrich feather fan with a handle of pink enamel, rock crystal and diamonds made by Fabergé. Sandro himself was attired as a court falconer, in white and gold long coat, with golden eagles embroidered on the front and back, a pink silk shirt, blue silk trousers and yellow leather boots. Some details of the jewels from the picture above:
3 chokers - of large diamonds ( 2 of these were wedding gifts from her parents)

a diamond "fringe" necklace - tiara (wedding gift from Sandro)

her emerald necklace and parure (wedding gift from her parents, the emerald-drops displayed on the head-dress)

a series of diamond spirals, parts of the ruby parure and diadem (like a coronet), turned upside-down and pinned to her bodice

a fringe attached to the pearl net on her head, with pearl-drops....that appears to be a necklace of diamonds & pearls
her ruby parure as large necklace, also the present of her parents.
a series of brooches with gems, diamonds and pearls as buttons on the front of her gown..

From Once A Grand Duchess: Xenia, Sister of Nicholas II

"With no real experience of handling money, Xenia was easy pray for unscrupulous opportunists, In December 1921 a self-styled financier, Marurice Sternbach, came to England...He told her that he was in a good position to get her a fair price for her jewellery, and she entrusted him with a considerable amount..."

Here is the damage:
Rope of Pearls: Sold for £4,000. £500 of which she was given, the £3,500 was given to Sternbach and Calvert ( Calvert was Sternbach's business partner)
Second Rope of Pearls: Sold for £5,000, Sternbach and Calvert were handed £3,500
Later Xenia pawned a Pearl Necklace for £5,000 and the whole of which was handed to Sternbach and Calvert

She was giving them so much to entrust in a business that she was assured "Would bring her wealth beyond the dreams of avarice."

In April 1923 Xenia took court action, in which she was the plaintiff and Calvert was the defendant. After the trial, Xenia was awarded £10,000 in damages.

CZAR'S SISTER WINS PEARL SWINDLE SUIT; Grand Duchess Gets £10,000 Verdict Against Calvert and Sternbach, American.

New York Times Apr 18, 1923

LONDON, April 17. -- Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandroyna of Russia, sister of the murdered Czar, obtained a verdict today of £10,000 against Albert Frederick Calvert of Hampstead, and Maurice Sternbach, an American citizen, who was recently deported from this country.

April1919 -
As she was leaving from her own home, Xenia was able to ensure that the most valuable possessions, including her jewels and 54-piece set of solid gold plate, were packed ready for loading at Yalta the next day. Among the hastily packed possessions were several cases marked "Fragile - Belaoussoff", which belonged to Xenia´s old laundress. Later they were found to contain mainly useless rubbish.

The Captain handed Xenia his binoculars so that she could have a last look at the coastline. "What are those little black things all along the shore?" she asked. "Madame", he replied, "that is your silver."

The servants had been so afraid they would be left behind that they had not loaded the chests. In all, about fifty-four cases were left on the quay. Xenia said it did not matter, but over the coming years there must have been many times she regretted it.

Olga and her husband went to live in the flat over Sandro´s wine cellar, taking with them all Dagmar and Xenia´s jewels concealed in cocoa tins (which, at the first sign of trouble, they hid in a hole in the bottom of a rock by the sea).

Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna Romanova (was born on 6 April 1875 in St Petersburg and died 20 April 1960 at Wilderness House in Hampton Court, England) She was the daughter of Tsar Alexander III of Russia and Dagmar of Denmark and sister of the last crowned Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and, his brief uncrowned successor, their brother Michael.

Xenia Alexandrovna married Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov (a grandson of Nicholas I of Russia on 6 August 1894 (25th July in the "old style" Russian calendar) at Peterhof. Together they had seven children.
Some of her descendants, also with large jewel collections, were:
HH Princess Irina Alexandrovna of Russia (1895-1970), married Prince Felix Yusupov (1887-1967) and her family settled in Paris. In 1934, Princes Irina sued MGM for libel and won $375,000 and in 1965 Prince Felix sued Columbia Broadcasting for invasion of privacy and lost. Prince Felix wrote Rasputin (1927) and Lost Splendour (1953). Prince Felix died in 1967 and Princess Irina in 1970.
HH Prince Fyodor Alexandrovich of Russia (1898-1968), married morganatically HSH Princess Irina Pavlovna Paley (1903-1990), daughter of the Grand Duke Paul. They had one son and subsequently divorced. Prince Feodor died at Ascain, France in 1968.

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