A Russian Imperial Three Color Gold Mounted Bloodstone Hand Seal

Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich: An Imperial Fabergé Three-Color Gold-Mounted Carved Bloodstone Hand Seal Fabergé, Workmaster Mikhail Perkhin, St. Petersburg, circa 1896, with scratched inventory number 52976 3-1/2 x 1-3/8 inches (8.9 x 3.5 cm) 136 grams (gross) PROVENANCE: Acquired by Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich, May of 1896, for 250 rubles. This hand seal, an exquisite pastiche of early 18th century gold and bloodstone carving in the Baroque taste is a luxurious piece purchased by Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich possibly as a gift for his brother-in-law, Nicholas II. On his accession to the throne in 1894, Nicholas II inherited the Royal Polish hunting lodge of Beloviezh, and in 1895, spent time shooting at the estate with members of the Imperial Family, including Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and his wife, the Emperor’s sister, Grand Duchess Xenia. The matrix of the seal bears the arms of Beloviezh and may have been for the Emperor’s personal use. Acquired in May of 1896, the month of the coronation of Nicholas II in Moscow, the hand seal may have been a commemoration of the earlier family visit to the beloved Polish estate. Heritage Auctions thanks Valentin Skurlov for his assistance with the research of this lot. Property from an Important Private Collection HID09710052018 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved