History of Famous Jewels and Collections: Romanov Exhibitions in London

The much expected winter exhibition of The Queen's Gallery at Buckingham Palace, "Russia, Royalty & the Romanovs", opened today.

In preparing the exhibition, it seems the Royal Collection's curators have delved deep in the vaults, unveiling a number of paintings, photographs, letters, insignia of orders, personal and official mementos, Fabergé and jewels. Many objects are on public display for the first time.

The Vladimir Tiara, naturally presented with its pearls, must look statelier than ever among Russian treasures:

Check this twitter post with close-ups of the tiara:
https://twitter.com/MmeGuillotine/status/1060525464207441920

At long last, we got a good picture of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee brooch, by Fabergé, 1895-97. Presented by her grandchildren and bequeathed to Princess Christian. (RCIN 250482)

The RCT website also released an extensive presentation, which allows us to get a very good glimpse into this wonderful display (click on each of the sections to see the objects):

https://www.rct.uk/collection/themes/exhibitions/russia-royalty-the-romanovs/the-queens-gallery-buckingham-palace/the-exhibition

Highlights of the exhibit are for instance the gifts received by the Princess of Wales (later Queen Mary) at Cowes regatta in the summer of 1909, on what was to be the last visit of the Romanovs to England, such as this remarkable amethyst pendant-brooch (attributed to Fabergé); or the lavish insignia of the First Class of the Order of St Catherine.

Queen Mary's Star and Badge of the Order of St Catherine:

Insignia are indeed highlighted in the display, as they span over more than a century of exchanges between Russia and the United Kingdom. It seems that an important amount of research was conducted as illustrated notices on the Russian orders of Edward VII, George V and Queen Alexandra and Princess Victoria have been made available to the public, revealing the amount of hidden treasures still to be published in the RC.

Order of St Catherine, First Class Star of Queen Alexandra (RCIN 441523) with the Badge of Princess Victoria (RCIN 442059).

As you may expect from a collection enriched by the passion of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary, Fabergé objects have an important part in the display, with no less than three eggs (the Mosaic, the Colonnade and the Basket of Flowers), frames, surprises (such as the wonderful ivory Elephant purchased by George V in 1935), cigarette cases, carved figures, flowers; or the most poignant portrait of the five children of the last Tsar; all lasting tributes to the splendour of the Russian Court.

Mikhail Perkhin (1860-1903), Frame with a portrait miniature of Tsarina Marie Feodorovna c.1895, Four-colour gold, guilloché enamel, ivory, watercolour | 9.0 x 7.8 x 7.3 cm (whole object) | RCIN 40107

A cigarette case, fortieth wedding anniversary present to King Edward VII, from the Dowager Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, on 10 March 1903.

[ALL PICTURES FROM THE BUCKINGHAM EXHIBITION: Royal Collection Trust - © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II]

To everyone planning to visit the exhibition, there is another wonderful Romanov exhibition in London: "The Last Tsar: Blood and Revolution" at the Science Museum
It presents two further Imperial Fabergé Eggs, The Imperial Red Cross Fabergé Egg from 1915 (on loan from the Cleveland Museum of Art) and the Imperial Steel Easter Egg, sent to Nicholas II (on the front) in 1916 (on loan from Moscow's Kremlin Museums), as well as jewellery found in the graves and at the execution site in Ekaterinburg.

Empress Alexandra’s diamond and pearl ear-stud, found with her remains.

Empress Alexandra’s diamond and emerald cross, a gift from her mother-in-law, found in the room where the family was executed in Ipatiev House (Image: Russian History Foundation, Jordanville, NY)