Extremely rare photo album with 16 original photographs of Coronation procession , taken on May 14th 1896 in Moscow. All photographs are 5 1/8 x 7 in. (12,9 x 17,7 cm).

Original c.1890 photo album with leather cover. There are 16 pages in the album, one photograph per page. The photographs are inserted into frames, and can be removed.

# 1. View of the Moscow Kremlin, decorated with flags and Imperial eagles. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

# 2. Coronation procession by the Czar Bell in the Kremlin. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

# 3. Coronation procession at Moscow streets. Police cordons. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner, faded.

# 3 (enlarged fragment). Photographer with camera.

# 4. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

# 5. Trace of finger print near the right edge.

# 6. Carriage with empress Maria Feodorovna (mother of Nicholas II). The carriage is decorated on the roof with the Imperial crown. Cavalier Guard officer on horseback.

# 6 (fragment).

# 7. Carriage with empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Interesting detail – there is no crown on roof. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

#7 (fragment). It looks like Alexandra is hiding her face from the crowd. The carriage escorted by Life-Guard Cossacks.

# 8. The carriage of empress Maria Feodorovna.

# 8 (fragment). Next to the carriage – on horseback is Commander in Chief of the Life Guard Cavalier Guard Regiment, wearing a helmet with double headed eagle.

# 9. Cavalier Guards. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

# 10. Life Guard Hussar Regiment. Condition: slightly faded.

# 10 (fragment).

# 11. A group of horse men: high military commanders and foreign attaches. Condition: water stain in the upper left corner.

# 11 (fragment). First from the left – Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (1847-1909), son of Alexander II.

# 11 (fragment).

# 12. Nicholas II at the head of the procession. Condition: few small stains, painted over in ink.

# 12 (fragment). Nicholas II.

# 12 (fragment). Second from top – Grand Duke Serge, son of Alexander II , Governor of Moscow and organizer of coronation festivities.

# 13. His Majesty’s Own Escort. Condition: partially faded.

# 14. Emir of Bukhara. Condition: water stain in the upper part.

# 14 (fragment).

# 15. Asian horseman of the Emir’s escort. Condition: partially faded.

# 16. Nicholas II heading the procession.

Most of the photographs were taken from the top of the same building, and the procession, like in slow motion, is moving in front of you. The fact that the photos show the streets flooded by people watching the ceremony, adds greatly to the rarity of the album. You can feel the atmosphere and emotions of the crowd. Some pictures are so sharp, that you can scrutinize faces in the crowd of the festivity spectators with the help of a magnifying glass.

A man with a small girl in white dress is pointing out to the czar, Nicholas II has just passed that gap between the buildings from which they are watching the procession (fragment of photo # 12).