A Faberge Russian Imperial Presentation Gold Cigarette Case
Given by Tsar Nicholas II in 1896
A historically important and well documented Imperial object directly related to Tsar Nicholas II and his coronation.
The cover of the 14K polished rose gold case is applied with an angled yellow gold Russian Imperial double headed eagle embellished with one brilliant and numerous rose cut diamonds.
The thumbpiece is set with a cabochon sapphire.
The case comes in its original red leather Imperial presentation box with a double headed brass eagle on the cover and an original letter written
by the Marshal of the Imperial Court, Count Benkendorff (1849-1917) on Peterhof Palace stationery.
The letter is written in French and could be translated as follows (dates are given in both new and old style):
” PETERHOF July 14 / 26
Sir,
His Majesty the Emperor has ordered me to convey to you this cigarette case with the Imperial arms,
which you will find attached, as a souvenir of the evening of the 13th/ 25th July, during which you showed Him the moving photographs of M. Lumière.
I ask you to kindly present the two watches that are also within the same package, to your two assistants who were present at the screening
P.S. I would be most grateful if you could inform me of the names of your assistants. ”
The recipient of this gold case was Camille Cerf (1862-1936), a cameraman of the French Lumière brothers company. The Lumière brothers were the first film makers in history.
In May 1896, the Lumière brothers brought their films to Russia.
It was the month when Tsar Nicholas II was crowned in Moscow, and Lumière’s cameraman Camille Cerf recorded the coronation at the Kremlin.
The recording was the first film made in Russia.
The film was privately shown to the Tsar on July 13th, apparently at the Peterhof palace near St Petersburg.
On the next day, July 14th, Count Benkendorff sent this gold case to Cerf who stayed at Hotel France on Grand Morskaia street in St. Petersburg (address on the envelope), on behalf of the Tsar.
The note in Russian at the very bottom of the envelope could be translated as: ” into his own hands”.
Below are some links to the wikipedia website with additional information on Camille Cerf and Lumière brothers:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Cerf_(filmmaker)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Russia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_and_Louis_Lumière
Here is a link to the coronation film 1896:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b-Cfe7fPok
Size 64 x 92 mm (2 1/2 x 3 5/8 in.)
Weight 169 grams
Both halves of the case are struck with 56 zolotnik gold standard with St Petersburg assay symbol and initials ‘GN’ for Gabriel Nuikkanen (Nykanen), Faberge’s workmaster.
