Jewelry of the house of the Romanovs. Crowns of the Russian Empire ... (13 photos)
Large imperial crown
The crown is a masterpiece of world jewelry art.
The imperial crown was made by the court jeweler Georg Friedrich Eckart and the diamond master Jeremiah Pozier for the coronation of Empress Catherine II the Great in 1762. The crown was created in record time - in just two months.
The work on the creation of the crown was supervised by the jeweler G.-F. Eckart. He created the sketch and wireframe. I. Pozier was involved in the selection of diamonds.
The unique piece of jewelry was restored in 1984. Chief artist V.G. Sitnikov, jewelers - V.V. Nikolaev, G.F. Aleksakhin.
Silver, diamonds, pearls, spinel rubies
State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Moscow Kremlin"
Moscow, Russia
Large Imperial Crown, created by the court jeweler for the coronation of Catherine II. Traditional in shape, the crown consists of two opening hemispheres, surmounted by an orb and a cross.
Used materials - silver, gold, diamonds, pearls, spinel.
The craftsmen set 4936 diamonds weighing 2858 carats in silver. The sparkling diamond lace is accentuated by two rows of large matte pearls, 75 in total.
The height of the crown with the cross is 27.5 cm. The length of the lower circumference is 64 cm.
The weight of the crown is 1993.80 grams.
The crown is crowned with a rare gemstone of bright red color - a noble spinel of 398.72 carats.
The great imperial crown, made in 1762 for the coronation of Empress Catherine II the Great by the talented court jeweler Jeremiah Pozier, amazes with the perfection of execution and luxury. An excellent craftsman, he managed to create a "hymn to the diamond in the diamond age." It is no coincidence that the Russian crown occupies an exceptional position among the European regalia. Traditional in form, consisting of two openwork silver hemispheres, separated by a garland and fastened with a low crown, entirely adorned with diamonds and pearls, the crown creates an impression of solemn grandeur, surprising at the same time with its lightness and grace. &
Graceful and at the same time unusually calm, laurel branches are a symbol of power and glory, as if covering a diamond-shaped diamond grid of hemispheres and fastened with a diamond in the center. &
The master emphasized the sparkle of diamond lace with two rows of large matte perfectly clean pearls. In the drawing of a garland of large white and pink diamonds, oak leaves and acorns are placed between the hemispheres, which symbolizes the strength and strength of power.
The crown is crowned with a rare gemstone of dark red color - noble spinel (398.72 carats, acquired in the 17th century from oriental merchants). It is also one of the seven historical stones of the Diamond Fund of Russia.
Ekaterina was pleased with the work. She kept this almost two-kilogram crown on her head for all the necessary time of the coronation ceremony - several hours.
After Catherine II, all emperors in Russia were crowned with a large imperial crown.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire is the main symbol of the power of the Russian monarchs. Imperial regalia from 1762 to 1917
Catherine II with coronation regalia. The Empress holds a Scepter in her right hand. Portrait of Alexei Antropov 1765
SCEPTER IMPERIAL
Gold, diamond "Orlov", diamonds, silver, enamel
Length 59.5 cm
Early 1770s
The smoothly polished gold surface of the scepter is intercepted by eight diamond bezels, and the handle is embossed with flutes (vertical grooves) that enhance the play of light and shadow. The scepter ends with a cast gold double-headed eagle, decorated with black enamel and diamonds. The splendor of this emblem of Manarchist power was greatly enhanced by the Orlov diamond that adorned the scepter in 1774. According to experts, this is the best diamond of all the famous. As you know, he was the "eye" of the golden statue of Brahma in the Indian temple. This is one of the seven historical stones of the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.
In ancient times, the scepter was considered an attribute of the power of Zeus (Jupiter). In Old Russia, the image of the scepter can be found on the ancient coins of the princes Vladimir and Yaroslav of the beginning of the 11th century. The scepter as a regalia is also mentioned in the Russian chronicles of the middle of the 13th century, telling about the arrival of Western ambassadors. It is believed, however, that the scepter was introduced into use under Ivan the Severe at the end of his conquest of the Kazan Khanate. With all this, Ivan IV seems to have inherited the position of the khan, who in Russia was called the tsar. To materialize the claims to this title, which for a long time and stubbornly refused to recognize, so to speak, both in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and in the Crown of Poland, there must be a scepter. Peter the Great also attached particular symbolic significance to the scepter. During the coronation of his own wife, Catherine I, he never let go of him for a second. Peter I did not have the rest of the imperial regalia. The imperial scepter, which is in the Diamond Fund, is adorned with the world famous Orlov diamond cut in the form of the highest Indian rose. According to, as everyone knows, one of the legends, this stone belonged to Nadir Shah. At the end of its fall, the diamond got to Amsterdam, where it was bought for 400 thousand rubles by Count Grigory Orlov and presented to them by Empress Catherine II.
DIAMOND "ORLOV"
Empress Catherine II loved to pay with diamonds when playing cards. “How fun it is to play diamonds! It looks like a thousand and one nights! " - she exclaimed in one of the letters. She presented her favorite Grigory Orlov with a diamond jacket worth a million rubles. Orlov did not remain in debt and presented the queen with a diamond weighing 189.62 carats for the imperial scepter. &
The rarest in purity, with a bluish-green tint, the diamond was found in the 16th century in the mines of Golconda (India). Initially, the stone was a fragment from a larger crystal, presumably the mysteriously disappeared Great Mogul diamond, and in its raw form was 450 carats (90 g). The first name of the diamond is “Derianur”, or “Sea of Light” (the second fragment of “Mogul” was the no less famous “Kohinoor”, or “Mountain of Light”). According to ancient legend, both stones were the eyes of the temple statue of Brahma. First, the diamond was cut in the form of a "tall rose" (about 180 facets) weighing 300 carats. Shah Jehan was dissatisfied with the cut and ordered the stone to be cut. &
After that, the diamond took on its modern shape, but its weight dropped to 200 carats (or 40 grams). The Persian Shah Nadir, having seized Delhi in 1739, decorated his throne with them. When the British "visited" Persia, they appropriated the "stones" in the same way. "Derianur" by unknown means got to the Amsterdam bank in 1767, changing its name to "Amsterdam", and the owner was either an Armenian or a Jew Grigory Safras. In 1772 he sold the diamond to his relative, the Russian court jeweler Ivan Lazarev (hence the third name of the stone - "Lazarev"). Lazarev, in turn, in 1773 sold the stone for 400,000 rubles to Count Orlov, in whose hands the stone acquired its final name, with which it went down in history and was presented on the name day to Catherine II instead of a bouquet. She appreciated the gift and placed it on the crown of her golden scepter (below the pommel, which is a two-headed eagle, decorated with black enamel and diamonds), multiplying its magnificence.
POWER IMPERIAL
Gold, diamonds, sapphire (200 carats), diamond (46.92 carats), silver
Height with cross 24 cm
Ball circumference 48 cm
1762 year
When preparing for the coronation of Catherine II, only two weeks before the significant event, they remembered the state, and then it turned out that the precious stones from the empress Elizabeth Petrovna's state had long been removed, and the gold was "put into action." In an unusually short time, the court jeweler G.-F. The new power was executed by Eckart.
In the form of a small ball with an impeccably polished gold surface, on a low profiled base, the orb gave the impression of a luxurious product thanks to a belt studded with diamonds and a half-hoop with a cross at the top. These diamond garlands are taken directly from Catherine's dress, to which they were attached with silver loops invisible to visitors.
In the early 70s of the 18th century, the state was decorated with two stones, which changed its general appearance.
Between the openwork diamond cross and the half-hoop, a huge sapphire weighing 200 carats was placed surrounded by diamonds, and at the junction of the half-hoop with the belt - a large diamond weighing 46.92 carats, a completely pure stone with a bluish tint.
LARGE AGRAPH BUCKLE
Diamonds silver
Length 25 cm, width from 8 to 11 cm
1750s. Master I. Pozier
Among the items created by the Swiss Jeremiah Pozier for the Russian court is a luxurious agraph buckle 25 centimeters long.
Heavy gold, ermine-lined coronation robes on the days of celebrations were fastened with huge elegant buckles, designed primarily for visual effect.
A subtle sense of decorativeness helped the jeweler to create a buckle, unusual in shape, fabulous in wealth.
It is made in the form of a bow of three lush branches, studded with diamonds. The intertwining branches are massive, but at the same time create the impression of lightness - due to the fact that small flowers on thin stems are scattered among the juicy leaves.
Careful thoughtfulness of every detail of the design of the product, free composition, combination of diamonds of different quality - all this characterizes the style of I. Pozier, the best of the best "diamond makers" of the 18th century.
The buckle was at one time worn by Elizaveta Petrovna, and then it in turn belonged to other Russian rulers, becoming a fastener on the coronation ermine mantle.
SMALL IMPERIAL CROWN
Diamonds, silver
Height with cross 13 cm
1801 Craftsmen J. Duval and J. Duval
Traditional in form, the small imperial crown was made by the Duval brothers, famous court jewelers, in 1801 for the coronation of Empress Elizabeth Alekseevna.
The severity and sense of proportion distinguish the work of these masters. Their style is clean, logical, reasonable, and their execution is such that it makes you forget about technical techniques and see only the beauty of the material with which they work.
Everything in the crown is amazingly proportional and balanced. The shine of diamond lace in a silver frame conveys a sense of solemnity, significance, grandeur, despite the miniature size of the product.
Among the excellent stones on the crown, a number of large diamonds on the crown, as if hanging in the air, stand out for their purity and size. The beauty of the stones, the refined jewelry craftsmanship, undoubtedly, bring the small crown closer to the large imperial crown of Catherine II.
Coronation regalia of Russian emperors. In the foreground - the Imperial State 1856
Great imperial crown among the regalia of Russian emperors.
Catherine II (1762)
Virgilius Eriksen. Empress Catherine II in the Great Imperial Crown
Paul I (1797)
Borovikovsky V.L. Emperor Paul I in the Great Imperial Crown
The last time the Great Imperial Crown was used in state events was in 1906 - at the opening ceremony of the first State Duma with the participation of the last Emperor Nicholas II. Currently, the imperial regalia is in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.
Large imperial crown
The jewels of the Russian imperial crown shared the sad fate of the treasuries of the largest European monarchies - English (until 1848), French and Austro-Hungarian, irretrievably lost in a whirlwind of wars and revolutions.
In 1719, according to the decree of Peter I, for the special storage of "things belonging to the state" was organized a special room - "rentereya", where state regalia, order insignia, ceremonial jewelry were kept. Since 1839, this vault has become known as the Diamond Room.
Russian emperors and empresses, competing in luxury with the monarchs of other European countries, sought to increase the wealth and splendor of their court. Many outstanding jewelers worked at the court in St. Petersburg - I. Pozier, father and sons Duval, L. Pfisterer, G. Eckart. Treasury funds were used to purchase precious stones, some of them came in the form of gifts. In addition to the imperial regalia, the crown jewels included various jewelry and adornments.
For the coronation of Catherine II, who ascended the throne as a result of a coup d'état. a large imperial crown was made. Already on July 8, 1762, on the tenth day after the massacre of Peter III, a decree appeared signed by Catherine, according to which the chamberlain Ivan Betsky was given 50 thousand rubles for coronation expenses, including payments to jewelers. The design of the crown design was entrusted to the jeweler Jeremiah (Jeremiah) Posier (1716-1779), a native of Switzerland.
The chief court jeweler Georg-Friedrich Eckart rejected Pozier's plan. Having received gold from the treasury, he himself made the openwork frame of the crown. But Pozier still decorated the crown with stones. “I chose between things all the largest stones that are not suitable for fashionable decoration, partly diamond, partly colored,” Pozier later recalled in his Notes. “Despite all the precautions I had taken to make the crown lightweight and to use only the most necessary materials to keep the stones in it, it ended up weighing five pounds.”
Pozier perfectly coped with the task of selecting stones, revealed their beauty, very successfully found transitions from one color to another and skillfully used the bewitching shimmer of pearls. The crown was estimated at two million rubles - an astronomical amount at that time. We add that this masterpiece of 18th century jewelry was created in just two months.
The crown of the Russian Empire looks traditional for this symbol of state power. It consists of two openwork silver hemispheres, showered with Indian diamonds of various sizes - in total there are 4936 pieces (total weight - 2858 carats). At the bottom of the crown, large white and pink diamonds alternate rhythmically.
The only spot of color is a large crimson spinel at the top of the crown, under the diamond cross. This spinel, weighing 398.72 carats, is one of seven historic stones held by the Diamond Fund. It was bought in 1676 by the Russian envoy to Beijing, Nikolai Spafari.
The total weight of the crown is 1.907 kg. The length of the lower circumference of the crown is 64 cm, the height with the cross is 27.5 cm. Regardless of the size and complexity of the composition, it is graceful and light. This is a true masterpiece of 18th century jewelry.
Along with the crown for the coronation of Catherine II, other imperial regalia were made - the orb and the scepter.
The orb - a polished hollow ball topped with a cross - is made of the so-called "red gold". The ball is surrounded by two rows of large diamonds, the sapphire at the top weighs approximately 47 carats. The golden scepter is made in strict forms; it consists of three smooth parts, separated by diamond belts, and topped with a double-headed eagle, adorned with black enamel and diamonds. Below the eagle, the famous diamond "Orlov" (189.62 carats) is strengthened many times over the splendor of the scepter.
The so-called Small Imperial Crown kept today in the Diamond Fund was made in 1801 by the Duval brothers for Elizabeth Alekseevna, wife of Alexander I. Its weight is 378 g, the crown is decorated with 48 large (from 2 to 9 carats) and 200 small diamonds. This crown, originally intended for the coronation, and later serving for especially solemn occasions, is made as an elegant feminine adornment.
Historical reference
A scandal broke out. Foreign newspapers wrote that some European businessmen and banks are being used by the Soviet government for currency transactions with stolen gold, diamonds and church valuables. To stifle the outrage, at the end of 1925, an exhibition of crown jewels was hastily organized in Moscow, which was supposed to show the world that they were safe and sound.
The noise raised in the press, apparently, thwarted the pending deal for the sale abroad through Manchuria of all relics of the former Diamond Room, which included a collection of imperial crowns, an imperial scepter with a diamond "Eagles", orb, a collection of signs and chains, gift gold cups, a collection of fans and rings, Faberge imperial Easter eggs and much more.
However, most of these items were still sold out in the 1920s and 1930s.
Some later appeared in private collections in the USA and Europe, for example, the wedding crown of the Russian empresses, made from the diamond belt of Catherine II - in the fall of 1926 she (together with the diamond sword of Paul I, the decoration of the coronation dress of Catherine II from the bunches of Brazilian diamonds and Indian emeralds, the Empress Elizabeth's diamond snuffbox, a collection of Faberge imperial Easter eggs) was sold by the country's new owners to the American merchant Norman Weiss.
The location of some other items is still unknown (including several Faberge eggs, a diamond badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which belonged to Alexander II, the icon "The Introduction of the Virgin into the Temple" in a precious setting by Faberge, etc.).
Clickable 1200 px Monomakh's hat.
Late 13th - early 14th century. Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fur; filigree, granulating, casting, chasing, engraving. Height 18.6 cm; circumference 61 cm. Armory. Moscow The most famous of all the royal headdresses of the Russian tsars is the Monomakh Hat. She is in the Armory; all Russian tsars and princes up to Fyodor Alekseevich were crowned with this hat. What is interesting: the fact is clearly established: it has nothing to do with either Byzantium or the XI century! The hat was made in Central Asia, in Bukhara, in the first half of the XIV century, 200 years after the death of Vladimir Monomakh. It also turned out that no connection between the headdress and Monomakh was noted until the beginning of the 16th century; and the Moscow princes, leaving it to their heirs, talked about the "golden hat". It has also been proven that its first owner was Ivan Kalita. Both the hat and the horse harness ("golden horse tackle") were presented to Ivan Kalita by his contemporary, the Golden Horde Uzbek Khan.
So this crown could not have belonged to Prince Vladimir Monomakh (c. 960 - July 15, 1015). Other hats - crowns are made in the same way.
Kazan hat.
Mid 16th century. Gold, precious stones, fur; casting, embossing, carving, niello The Kazan Shapka is a golden filigree crown made around 1553 for Ivan the Terrible immediately after the conquest and annexation of the Kazan Khanate to the Russian state and the consolidation of the title of the Kazan Tsar. There is no exact information about when and by whom the crown was made. There is a version that it was made by the jewelers of the conquered khanate.
Crown "Big outfit". Astrakhan hat. 1627.
Gold, precious stones, pearls, fur; casting, chasing, engraving, carving, shotting. Height 30.2 cm. Circumference 66.5 cm. Armory. Moscow. Belonged to Tsar Mikhail Romanov. Work of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops. The Astrakhan hat was navan because by the reign of 1 tsar from the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, the conquest of the Astrakhan Khanate and the erection of a cross on both banks of the Volga, and access to the Caspian Sea were completed. And also, this crown is present on the coat of arms of Astrakhan. As you know, after the death of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, juvenile Ivan and Peter were placed on the throne, personal crowns were made for them in the workshops of the Kremlin.
Altabas hat. (Siberian). 1684.
Cloth, brocade, gold, precious stones, pearls, fur; casting, chasing, carving, enamel, shotting. Armouries. Moscow. Belonged to Tsar Ivan Alekseevich. Work of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops
Diamond hat. 1682 - 1687.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fur; casting, chasing, carving, enamel Armory. Moscow. Belonged to Tsar Ivan Alekseevich. Work of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops On a larger plan, patterns and double-headed eagles on the crown are prominent.
Diamond hat. 1682 - 1684.
Gold, silver, precious stones, fur; casting, chasing, enamel. Armouries. Moscow. Belonged to Tsar Peter Alekseevich. Work of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops.
"Monomakh's hat of the second outfit". 1682.
Gold, precious stones, pearls, fur; casting, chasing, carving Armory. Moscow. Russia. Belonged to Tsar Peter Alekseevich. Work of the Moscow Kremlin Workshops. Next are the imperial crowns. One of the first imperial crowns was the crown with which Tsar Peter I crowned Catherine I. But only one frame remained from it, tk. subsequent generations used diamonds for their own needs.
The crown of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna is a precious crown made in St. Petersburg in 1730-1731, presumably by the master Gottlieb Wilhelm Dunkel. About two and a half thousand diamonds, rubies and tourmalines, skillfully selected in size, are set into the silver frame of the crown. Most of them previously adorned the crown of Empress Catherine I, as well as a dark red tourmaline placed under an irregularly shaped diamond cross. It was bought in 1676 from a Chinese bogdykhan by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and subsequently decorated several royal crowns in turn. The weight of this unique one is one hundred grams. And finally, the most valuable exhibit of the Diamond Fund:
Great Imperial Crown of Russia.
The great imperial crown of the Russian Empire was made for the coronation in 1762 by the famous jewelers Georg-Friedrich Eckart, who was the author of the sketches and the frame, and also supervised the work of Jeremy (Jeremiah: in Russia he was called Eremey Petrovich) Pozier, who was engaged in the selection of stones. The work was carried out by special order of Catherine II. The famous masters were given only one condition - the crown had to weigh no more than 5 pounds (2 kilograms). The jewelry miracle was created in just two months. It was the most famous crown of the Russian Empire until the end of the monarchy, which embodied the supreme power in Russia. After the October Revolution, the young communist state of workers 'and peasants' councils, dilapidated and ravaged by gangs of "Bolsheviks," needed finances. The government sought loans and turned to Michael Collins, Ireland's finance minister. The royal jewels were used as collateral for the Soviet republic with a loan of $ 25,000.
The transfer of valuables and money was carried out in New York, between the head of the “Soviet bureau” - the Soviet ambassador to America, Ludwig Martens, and the Irish ambassador to the United States, Harry Boland. After returning to Ireland, Boland kept jewelry in the home of his mother, Kathleen Boland O'Donovan, who lived in Dublin. During the entire period of the Irish War of Independence, the jewelry was kept by Boland's mother. Ms. Boland O'Donovan handed over the jewels of Russia to the government of the Republic of Ireland in the person of Eamon de Valera only in 1938, which were kept in the safes of government buildings and which were forgotten for a while. In 1948, the values were discovered and by decision of the new Irish government, headed by John A. Costello, a decision was made to sell the collateralized royal jewels of Russia at a public auction in London. However, after consultations on the legal status of the collateral and negotiations with the Soviet ambassador, the decision to sell was canceled. The valuables were to be returned to the Soviet Union in exchange for a sum of $ 25,000, originally loaned in 1920. The valuables returned to Moscow in 1950. All subsequent emperors of Russia after Catherine II were crowned with this crown.
The Small Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire is one of the imperial regalia. The small crown was created by the jeweler Zeftigen for the coronation of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II in 1856.
Diadem. 1810.
Gold, silver, pink diamond, small diamonds. Moscow Most likely it belonged to Elizaveta Alexandrovna, the wife of Alexander I.
Crown of the russian empire
(from Latin corona - crown)- a special precious coronation headdress of the imperial court of Russia, symbolizing the highest step in the hierarchy and being the emblem of the supreme power - a sign of royal dignity; large imperial crown of the Russian Empire, which was placed on the head of the new autocrat.
Priambula
Encyclopedic information about Russian crowns from the Brockhaus and Efron encyclopedia:
“A crown is a headdress or headband, which serves as a sign of a certain power and in its form defining rank, rank, title, and sometimes the merit of the person to whom it belongs. Undoubtedly, K. owes its origin to a wreath or crown, representing its own variety.
Currently, the following books are stored in the Moscow Armory Chamber:
1).
Saint Vladimir;
2).
Kazan, ordered by Ivan the Terrible for the baptism of the Kazan Tsar Ediger and sent after the death of the latter to Moscow;
3).
Astrakhan, made in 1627 by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich;
4).
Siberian (altabass hat) made of gold brocade; ordered in 1684;
5).
the Tauride or so-called Monomakh's hat of the second category, made in 1682 for the coronation of Peter the Great;
6).
brilliant cut by K. Peter the Great, German work, decorated in front with two double-headed eagles;
7).
diamond K. Ioann Alekseevich.
Since the time of Mikhail Fyodorovich, seals have been printed in European form, but in reality they did not exist at that time. The first K. of the European model was made in 1724 for the coronation of Catherine I. Peter II was crowned with this K. He ordered to decorate the arc dividing K. with a large ruby, bought by order of Alexei Mikhailovich in Beijing, from the Chinese bogdykhan, by ambassador Nikolai Spafari; a diamond cross was attached to its top. For the coronation of Anna Ioannovna, K. was ordered according to the same model, but even more luxurious and larger; the number of stones decorating it reaches 2605 pieces. On the arc is a ruby taken from K. Peter II. Since 1856, this K. has been called Polish and in the state coat of arms is placed on the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland. The same K., slightly altered, was crowned Elizaveta Petrovna. Catherine II ordered a new K. for her coronation to the court jeweler Pozier, for the decoration of which 58 very large and 4878 small diamonds, a large ruby and 75 large pearls were used; she weighed up to 5 pounds. For the coronation of Paul I, this K. was somewhat expanded and 75 pearls were replaced by 54 large ones; all subsequent emperors were also crowned with it ”.
History
For the first time, the transition from traditional gem-studded hats to European-style crowns occurred during the crowning of Catherine I - a crown of gold and silver, studded with many diamonds, was made for her.
The great imperial crown of the Russian Empire was made for the coronation in 1762 by the famous jewelers Georg-Friedrich Eckart, who was the author of the sketches and the frame, and also supervised the work of Jeremy (Jeremiah: in Russia he was called Eremey Petrovich) Pozier, who was engaged in the selection of stones. The work was carried out by special order of Catherine II. The famous masters were given only one condition - the crown had to weigh no more than 5 pounds (2 kilograms).
The archives contain the names of the talented goldsmiths who participated in the "crown case" - Ivan Evstigneev and Ivan Lipman, and even the artisans of the court diamond workshop. For their work, all jewelers were paid 8200 rubles from the treasury. The jewelry miracle was created in just two months. It was the most famous crown of the Russian Empire until the end of the monarchy, which embodied the supreme power in Russia. The magnificent crown is not inferior to the most magnificent examples of European royal houses.
Because of the enmity between these two jewelers, the name Georg Friedrich Eckart was known for a long time to a limited circle of people. In his notes, Pozier did not mention Eckart and all the glory for many years went only to Jeremy himself.
After the October Revolution, the young communist state of workers 'and peasants' councils, dilapidated and ravaged by gangs of "Bolsheviks," was in need of finance. The government sought loans and turned to Michael Collins, Ireland's finance minister. The royal jewels were used as collateral for the Soviet republic with a loan of $ 25,000. The transfer of valuables and money was carried out in New York, between the head of the "Soviet bureau" - the Soviet ambassador to America, Ludwig Martens, and the Irish ambassador to the United States, Harry Boland. After returning to Ireland, Boland kept jewelry in the house of his mother, Kathleen Boland O "Donovan, who lived in Dublin. During the entire period of the Irish War of Independence, the jewelry was kept by Boland's mother. Mrs. Boland O "donovan donated the jewels of Russia to the government of the Republic of Ireland in the person of Eamon de Valera only in 1938, which were kept in the safes of government buildings and which were forgotten for a while.
In 1948, the values were discovered and by decision of the new Irish government, led by John A. Costello, it was decided to sell the collateralized royal jewels of Russia at a public auction in London. However, after consultations on the legal status of the collateral and negotiations with the Soviet ambassador, the decision to sell was canceled. The valuables were to be returned to the Soviet Union in exchange for a sum of $ 25,000 originally loaned out in 1920. The valuables returned to Moscow in 1950.
Description
The crown of the Russian empire is made in the form of a headdress of oriental traditions ("The turban of Indian sultans, the highest caste of rajas and the Ottoman clergy") consists of precious metals - silver and gold: two silver hemispheres, studded with diamonds, separated by a diamond garland and two rows of pearls, fastened by a low crown, consisting of a large spinel, one of the 7 historical stones, and a cross of 5 huge diamonds. The master set in silver 4,936 diamonds with a total weight of 2,858 carats and 72 Indian pearls, emphasizing the sparkle of diamond lace with two rows of large matte pearls. The height of the crown with the cross is 27.5 cm. The most famous of the crown jewels is the ruby (spinel) on an arc weighing 398.72 carats, separating the two halves of the crown. The stone was purchased in 1676 from the Chinese emperor Kangxi (Chinese 康熙, pinyin Kangxi(Kangxi), proper name Xuanye, whale. 玄 燁, May 4, 1654 - December 20, 1722), and brought to Russia by the scientist and writer Nikolai Spafariy, who was in the diplomatic service under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Beijing (China) from 1675 to 1678. This famous ruby wandered from one crown to another and originally adorned the imperial headdress of Elizabeth Petrovna. Over the ruby there is a cross of five large diamonds. The majestic crown design is not only beautiful, but also filled with deep meaning.
Two hemispheres personify the connection of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire and uniting two continents in victory over the Ottomans. Connected at the base of the crown and framed with pearls, they represent the Latin letter "V" (Victoria - victory)... From below, the grid of hemispheres is covered by laurel branches - a symbol of power and glory, and in the drawing of a garland between the hemispheres are placed oak leaves and acorns, which symbolizes the strength and strength of power.
Three large gems dominating the state regalia of the Russian Empire - red spinel (v crown) , blue sapphire (v power) and a shining white diamond (v skipere) - are consonant in color with the red-blue-white Russian flag.
By order of the king, an exact copy of the crown of a smaller size was made, which was used for the coronation of queens. In 1900, Faberge made a complete set of exact copies of the imperial regalia (large and small imperial crowns, orb and scepter) in miniature of silver, gold, diamonds, sapphires and rubies on a marble base; the work is in the collection of the Hermitage.
Coronation
According to the Byzantine tradition, the imperial crown was put on the king's head as a symbol of the supreme power bestowed by the Almighty. Noble persons from all over the world and noble representatives of their country were invited to the coronation. During the solemn ceremony, an oath of allegiance to the people and the Motherland was read, as well as a prayer for the glory of the Lord; the emperor accepted the symbols of state power.
The crown of the Russian Empire was last used in 1906 at the opening ceremony of the Russian State Duma.
Crowned with a large crown:
- 1762 Catherine II the Great
- 1797 Paul I
- 1801 Alexander I
- 1826 Nicholas I
- 1855 Alexander II
- 1883 Alexander III
- 1896 Nicholas II
Value
By the early 1880s, the jewelry value of Eckart and Pozier's jewelry exceeded 1 million rubles (in gold). Currently, the Great Imperial Crown is in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.
Use in heraldry
The imperial crown is found in the large coats of arms of the male imperial family, in the personal coat of arms of His Majesty and in the coats of arms of the provinces. The minor coats of arms of the persons of the imperial house have a heraldic crown, representing nothing more than the North German noble crown. If the pearls in the crown are crowned with crosses, then it receives the name of the ancient royal and is used in the coats of arms of the regions. A wall crown is placed in the coats of arms of cities, and an antique crown is usually used to crown heraldic figures. In the coats of arms of the untitled nobility, the crown is crowned with the helmet, but before the coats of arms were approved without the crown; the latter was sometimes placed on a shield or in the air above a helmet. In baronial coats of arms, the crown is placed either directly above the shield, or on the helmet crowning the shield. In the coats of arms of counts, the crown is placed on the shield; in addition, if there are several helmets, then the middle one is sometimes crowned with the same crown; the rest are covered by the nobility and the baronial, if the last title was held by the owner of the coat of arms. A princely cap is usually placed over a mantle, but can also be crowned with a shield and helmet.
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Since December 20, 2000, the imperial crown of the Russian Empire has been depicted again on the coat of arms of the state revived after the collapse of the USSR - the Russian Federation.
In art
- Adventure feature film "The Crown of the Russian Empire, or Elusive Again", 1971 (USSR)
- Painting by Borovikovsky (1757-1825) "Portrait of Paul I" (1800-1801)
Commercial use
The crown of the Russian empire had many unofficial uses for advertising and on the labels of various products, especially various brands of vodka and caviar. Some varieties of expensive original champagne (Champagne, France) also have the image of the state symbols of the Russian empire on the labels.
Notes (edit)
- Keogh, Dermot., (2005), "Twentieth Century Ireland", (Revised Edition), Gill & Macmillan, Dublin, p. 208, ISBN 0-7171-3297-8
- The Imperial Crown of Russia (1763).
- The price of a cow up to medium dignity was 5-10 rubles in banknotes (stately and thoroughbred - up to 20). By the end of the 19th century, at the Karaganda coal mines, miners' earnings ranged from 70 kopecks to 1 ruble 40 kopecks per 12-14-hour working day.
additional literature
- Symbols of the Russian Empire
- Books mentioning the crown of the Russian empire in a search engine
Links
- Diamond Fund Treasures
- The collection with historical accuracy presents the best jewelry exhibited in the building of the State Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin
- Women's crown of the Russian Empire (The crisis of succession to the Romanov dynasty ended with the "golden age" of Catherine the Great)
Any piece of jewelry is of great value. In the case when this product is also a generally recognized work of art, its value increases many times over. And precious works of art, which also have historical and ritual significance, receive an absolutely priceless status. First of all, these include, of course, all kinds of crowns and diadems of numerous monarchs, emperors, kings and kings.
One of the most notable places in the list of such royal regalia is occupied by the Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire, which is not only a cultural and historical heritage, but also a masterpiece of jewelry art.
To begin with, a small historical excursion: in pre-Petrine Russia, autocrats were crowned with special crowns, the most famous of which was the well-known “Monomakh's hat”. Real crowns, in a European way, appeared in our country during the time of Peter I, when in 1724 the first such crown was created for the coronation of the emperor's wife, the future Empress Catherine I. Subsequently, this crown was reworked several times in accordance with the tastes and requirements of the new emperors and empresses, until in 1762 specially for the coronation of Catherine II the Great Imperial Crown was made there, which was placed on the heads of all Russian autocrats up to the last of them, Nicholas II.
The authors of the Great Imperial Crown were the famous jewelers Georg-Friedrich Eckart and Jeremy Pozier, who were given almost complete freedom of creativity only on one condition - the crown should not weigh more than two kilograms. The division of labor between the two jewelers was as follows - Eckart was the author of the sketch for the work and the manufacturer of the frame, and Pozier was engaged in the selection of precious stones. The work was done in record time, in two months, and was estimated at 8,200 rubles. Due to the difficult relationship between the two jewelers, it was long believed that the only author of the crown was Eckart, who in every possible way kept silent and concealed the fact of Pauzier's participation in the creation of the masterpiece.
The shape of the crown was borrowed from the headdresses of the eastern rulers, more reminiscent of the turban of the Indian sultan than the traditional crown of medieval Europe. Two large silver hemispheres symbolize two parts of the world, Europe and Asia, West and East, united within the Russian Empire. Almost five thousand (to be statistically accurate - 4936) small diamonds with a total weight of 2858 carats, as well as 54 large Indian pearls (they were set in the crown for the coronation of Paul I, with the original, "Catherine's" version, there were 72 smaller pearls). The largest and most famous gem of the Great Imperial Crown is a ruby (spinel), fixed on a golden arc and crowned with a diamond cross, weighing almost 400 carats. This bright red stone is a traditional treasure of the royal house of the Romanovs: it fell into their hands almost 100 years before the manufacture of the Great Imperial Crown, in 1676, being acquired by Russian diplomats from the Chinese Emperor Kangxi, and was an invariable part of all Russian crowns used in enthronement ceremonies. This ruby is an integral part of the symbolic ensemble of Russian imperial regalia: being a large red stone, it was complemented by a blue sapphire set in a power, and a shining (white) diamond on a scepter. Thus, these three largest precious stones designated the colors of the state white-blue-red flag of the Russian state.
The Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire was naturally considered the main treasure of the royal family, and already at the end of the 19th century its pure jewelry value, without taking into account the symbolic historical value, was one million gold rubles. For the coronation of Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra Feodorovna, the legendary jeweler Faberge made a reduced copy of the crown, especially for the Empress, which was named the Small Crown of the Russian Empire, which later became the subject of detective stories and a film about “elusive avengers”.
Unlike the "younger relative", the Great Imperial Crown did not leave the borders of Russia and after the 1917 revolution it became the property of the state; is currently kept in the Diamond Fund. True, at the beginning of 2009, American newspapers put forward a version that a copy is stored in Russia, and the real Great Imperial, along with other treasures of the Romanovs, is hidden in the Mongolian Gobi desert. These assumptions are based on the statements of the American descendants of Russian émigré aristocrats, but historians are considered unfounded both due to the lack of documentary evidence and because of the logical contradictions of the voiced version.
Alexander Babitsky