Imperial Romanovs

Imperial Weddings during the Romanov Reign

The bridal ensemble of a Romanov imperial bride was always the same. It could not deviate from the regulations estipulated by the imperial code. They wore dresses made of cloth of silver or gold, with jeweled buttons down the skirt, topped by a velvet and ermine mantle. 

Their diamond accessories included the grand tiara made for Empress Elizabeth, which featured the Paul I Pink Diamond, as well as the Nuptial Crown, the Cherry Earrings, the Diamond Necklace, the Diamond Bracelet, and the Cloak Clasp, which had been made for Catherine the Great.  A royal wedding outfit weighed 25-30 kg. Standing still in it all day was difficult, let alone moving around! Sometimes the exhausted brides had to be carried.

According to tradition, brides in the Romanov family donated their wedding dresses to the church afterward. However, Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia, decided to keep hers. That is why her wedding dress has survived to this day (it is on exhibition in the Hermitage.) This was considered an omen of bad luck.

Since Queen Victoria could not attend the wedding of her beloved granddaughter Alix in Russia, her other granddaughter, Alexandra's sister, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, sketched Alix’s wedding dress without the jewels and the velvet cloak and sent the sketch to their grandmother with a letter. In the letter, she discusses the lace veil worn by Alix as her bridal veil. It was the same lace wedding veil worn by her mother, Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, and her sisters, Princess Victoria, Grand Duchess Ella, and Princess Irene. See the sketches below.

Towards the end of the Romanov tenure as rulers of Russia, regulations relaxed somewhat. Nicholas II's sister Olga, who was notoriously rebellious regarding protocol, did not conduct her first wedding according to the imperial code and wore a regular wedding dress and none of the jewels. Her second wedding years later was even more casual. Prince Marie of Greece and Denmark (to become Grand Duchess Marie Georgevna by marriage) refused to get married in Russia or wear the wedding regalia, although she wore Russian court dress. The tradition had been for all imperial women to marry at the chapel in the Winter Palace, and it was not broken even for Queen Victoria, who could not travel so far by the time her second son, Prince Alfred Ernest, married Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna, the daughter of Emperor Alexander II.

hi! welcome to my very first ‘history time with aves’ post!!! i have always had a love for art, art history, royal families, and crown jewels, so i would like to share some of that love and knowledge. who knows if this will be something to continue, or if literally anyone cares, but i am mostly doing this for myself tbh. here goes nothing- starting off with one of my favorite pieces from the British Crown Jewels!

Tiara and Necklace Tiara

The Countess of Southesk wearing both pieces at her cousin George VI's coronation in 1937.

A gift from her brother-in-law, Tsar Alexander III of Russia, and her sister Empress Maria Feodorovna.

Here Alexandra is wearing the tiara with the cabochon sapphire clusters that were part of a choker, also a gift from the Tsar.

Sold at auction in 1946.

Both amethyst pieces and the sapphire choker were inherited/chosen by her daughter Louise, The Princess Royal, The Duchess of Fife. In turn, she left them to her daughter Princess Maude, The Countess of Southesk, whose descendents sold the pieces at auction.

"Her wedding dress was a magnificent creation; the outfit was so intricate that it took nearly an hour for Alexandra to dress. Her stockings were of lace, her shoes embroidered and decorated. Over these she wore layers of stiff petticoats. The wide, full skirt of silver brocade opened from the waist down to reveal a second underskirt of silver tissue, edged with fur. The décolletage was cut low, to reveal the neck and shoulders, and the gown had short sleeves trailing ermine-edged tippets. The tightly fitted, boned bodice was sewn with diamonds which sparkled with every move. The folds of the overskirt fell back to form a train, and a separate, sweeping court train of cloth-of-gold edged with ermine fell from her shoulders. Over this, Alexandra wore the imperial mantle of cloth-of-gold, lined and edged with ermine. These robes were so heavy that four pages had to help carry them. Alexandra wore her hair swept back to emphasise her graceful neck and shoulders. Two long, twin side curls were attached to her own hair. Her long veil of tulle was held in place by a Russian Kokoshnik tiara, of diamonds set in platinum, and the Romanov nuptial crown of diamonds sewn on crimson velvet. Alexandra also wore a number of diamond brooches on the front of her gown, along with the jewelled chain of the Order of St. Andrew and strings of pearls around her neck. These jewels, as well as the tiara, had been wedding gifts from the late tsar, costing some 300,000 rubles ($150,000). She also wore the imperial riviére, a diamond necklace of 475 carats, and a pair of matching earrings. The earrings were so heavy, in fact, that they had to be supported by wires around the ears, which slowly cut into the flesh as the day wore on. Around her tiara, Alexandra wore a wreath of orange blossoms, brought from the Imperial Conservatory in Warsaw. Across the dress stretched the red ribbon of the Order of St. Catherine.”

Rose Trellis Fabergé egg

The Rose Trellis egg is a jewelled enameled Imperial Easter egg made in Saint Petersburg, Russia under the supervision of the jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé in 1907, for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. It was presented by Tsar Nicholas II to his wife, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, on Easter (22 April) 1907.

The egg was created by Faberge's workmaster, Henrik Wigström and is crafted of gold, green and pink enamel in various shades, portrait diamonds, rose-cut diamonds and satin lining. This egg is enamelled in translucent pale green and latticed with rose-cut diamonds and decorated with opaque light and dark pink enamel roses and emerald green leaves. A portrait diamond is set at either end of this egg, the one at the base covering the date "1907". Unfortunately the monogram has now disappeared. The egg contained as a surprise a diamond necklace and an ivory miniature portrait of the tsarevich framed in diamonds which is now lost. Only an impression on the satin lining now remains. The egg is approximately 7.7 cm in height.

•Tsar Nicholas II purchased the egg as a gift to his wife,Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna.The 21 April 1907 invoice indicated the egg cost 8,300 rubles.

•In 1920, the egg was in the possession of Alexandre Polovtsov, who was a former employee at Gatchina Palace and later started an antique shop in Paris. It is not known how Polovtsov acquired the Egg.

In 1930, the egg was sold along with the 1901 Gatchina Palace egg to Henry Walters and became a part of the Walters Art Museum Collection in 1931

OTMA Shoes Alert (sort of)

I recently came across a listing from a Russian seller offering a pair of pre-revolutionary women’s ballroom shoes from Henry Weiss, identified as Supplier to the Imperial Court.

In fact, Henri (Heinrich) Karlovich Weiss (Генрих Карлович Вейсс) was one of the leading luxury shoemakers of late Imperial Russia and indeed an official Supplier to the Imperial Court. Based in St. Petersburg, his flagship shop operated at 66 Nevsky Prospect, one of the city's most prestigious commercial addresses.

By the turn of the twentieth century, Weiss had built a reputation for high-quality bespoke footwear, maintaining workshops and a factory that served elite clientele.  The firm operated until 1917, when the revolution ended it along with everything else on the Nevsky.

His firm supplied shoes to members of the Romanov family, including Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and her children, and appears in surviving Imperial Court expense records. 

The bills for Grand Duchess Maria in 1909 show forty pairs delivered in a single year fabric pumps and kid leather flats for indoor use at 14 to 18 roubles a pair, white canvas shoes with a leather sole at 16 roubles, rubber galoshes at 2 roubles 25 kopecks, and white felt fur-lined overshoes at 60 roubles. Hardware — buckles, lasts, insoles — was billed separately. In 1910, Weiss charged Maria's account twice: 742 roubles in January and 815 roubles later in the year, for 33 pairs.

The same supplier served all four sisters. Each paid her own account; each received her own deliveries. The total annual throughput from Weiss's workshop across Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia was likely in the region of 6,000 roubles - the equivalent, at the wage rates of the time, of several years' earnings for a skilled St. Petersburg tradesman.

Early photographs show the sisters (and Alexei) in simple white leather slippers with silk pompoms, worn with ankle socks.

By their teens the range had expanded. Weiss supplied flats and pumps - fabric malieras in white, black, yellow, bronze, and pink kid - priced at 14 to 18 roubles a pair. White canvas shoes with a leather sole came to 16 roubles. Based on the gold-standard exchange rate of the period adjusted for inflation, that puts a single pair at roughly $225–$290 / €205–€265 in today's money. 

The Mauve Room

Tsarskoe Selo. 1917. Color autochrome, taken by Andrei Andreyevich Zeest (Андрей Андреевич Зеест).

As seen in this catalogue released by the Tsarskoye Selo State Museum-Preserve: 

Countess Natalia Konstantinovna Kleinmichel “Tata”, Countess Olga Konstantinovna Kleinmichel (later Voronov), Countess Anastasia Vasilyevna Hendrikova “Nastenka”, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna at Anna Alexandrovna Vyrubova’s house in Tsarskoe Selo, 10th May 1913.

“Friday. 10 May. Had lessons. Had breakfast and dinner with Mama. Her heart is almost No.2. T. and I rode with Nastenka. [Today] was not as nice as yesterday: 15 degrees in the shade. Very nice and warm. Had tea at Anya’s with Countess Kleinmichel, her son, Tata and Olga. After dinner sat with Mama. Papa sent me a telegram, he is very busy. Everything is well, thank God.”

Azar, H. (2015) Journal of a Russian Grand Duchess: Complete Annotated 1913 Diary of Olga Romanov, Eldest Daughter of the Last Tsar. p. 115.

Photo 1-2 : Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Skvortsov, Ungern-Shtengern, Fedyushkin and Shvedov “AKSHV” at Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna’s house in Saint Petersburg, 17th March 1913.

“17th March. Sunday. In the morning were at obednya with Papa in the regimental church. Had breakfast with Papa, Ioan, Gavril and Mama on the couch. Went to Petersburg, first to Grandmama and then to A[unt] Olga, Irina, Andrei, Feodor, Sasha and her Mother, B. Ungernsternberg, Shvedov, Skvortsev, Yuzik, Shangin and Kulikovsky were there. We played, drank tea, had dinner and went back.”

(1913 Diary of Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna)

“Sunday. 17 March. Went to obednya. Otetz Shavelsky performed the service yesterday and today. Had breakfast with Papa, Mama, Ioann and Gavril. At 2 o'cl. 7 min we 4 went to Petersburg to Grandmama’s with them and Lili Obolenskaya. Aunt Olga and Aunt Ksenia were there. Aunt Ksenia is leaving for Paris today. A little after 3 o'clock [we] went to Aunt Olga’s with her. At 3 ½ Tzigern-Shternberg, Gozeko, Skvortsov and AKSHV arrived. Dear, sweet AKSHV, I was so happy to finally see him. Prince Leuchtenberg with Irina, Fedor and Andrusha had tea. We had tea with the same on the little balcony in the sun. It was so cozy. We sat and talked for a long while. Then [we] went to play turkey, rope, and slap-on-hands in the spare dining room. Had dinner at 6 ½. We 3 and Aunt Olga sat with the Cossacks at their table. I also sat with AKSHV at tea. We walked around, sat, talked and laughed until 8 o'cl., it was so nice. Poor darling, he told me that his mother died last year. I am so sad for him. May the Lord save us. Returned at 8 o'clo. 15 min with Olga Yevg[enievna]. In the evening sat with Papa and Mama. Stopped by Tatiana’s [room], she is feeling fine. This afternoon Mama rode in an equipage and felt a bit queasy and tired. Darling Olga took 2 photographs of us three with the Cossacks. Kulikovsky and Shangin were also there.”

Azar, H. (2015) Journal of a Russian Grand Duchess: Complete Annotated 1913 Diary of Olga Romanov, Eldest Daughter of the Last Tsar. p. 82.

27th July 1910 : Afternoon at the Sobstvennaya dacha in Peterhof

Photo 1-2 : The Grand Duchesses with officers from the Standart in Peterhof

Photo 3 : Tsar Nicholas II on a horse and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna

Photo 4 : Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and an officer. The Sobstvennaya dacha can be seen in the background.

Photo 5 : Paul Voronov, Messing (?), Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna

Photo 6 : Tsar Nicholas II and Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 7 : Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 8 : Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin in front of the Sobstvennaya dacha.

“27th July. Tuesday. […] After breakfast rode on a new Bukhara horse. By the sea at the Sobstvennaya dacha, met Alix with the children and a cavalcade of Standart officers. Went for a ride around Sergievka and drank tea on the premises of the Sob[stvennaya] dacha. Messed around afterwards. Got back at 6 ¼. […]”

1910 Diary of Tsar Nicholas II

Photos from: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna’s 1910-1912 Album/ Page 13b - photos 228, 230, 231 Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna’s 1909-1912 Album/ Page 11b - photos 178, 181 Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna’s 1910-1912 Album/ Page 4b - photos 58, 63 Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna’s 1908-1912 Album/ Page 73b - photo 1166

27th July 1910 : Afternoon at the Sobstvennaya dacha in Peterhof

Photo 1-2 : The Grand Duchesses with officers from the Standart in Peterhof

Photo 3 : Tsar Nicholas II on a horse and Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna

Photo 4 : Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna and an officer. The Sobstvennaya dacha can be seen in the background.

Photo 5 : Paul Voronov, Messing (?), Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna

Photo 6 : Tsar Nicholas II and Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 7 : Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna

Photo 8 : Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna and Nikolai Pavlovich Sablin in front of the Sobstvennaya dacha.

“27th July. Tuesday. […] After breakfast rode on a new Bukhara horse. By the sea at the Sobstvennaya dacha, met Alix with the children and a cavalcade of Standart officers. Went for a ride around Sergievka and drank tea on the premises of the Sob[stvennaya] dacha. Messed around afterwards. Got back at 6 ¼. […]”

1910 Diary of Tsar Nicholas II

Photos from: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna’s 1910-1912 Album/ Page 13b - photos 228, 230, 231 Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna’s 1909-1912 Album/ Page 11b - photos 178, 181 Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna’s 1910-1912 Album/ Page 4b - photos 58, 63 Tsaritsa Alexandra Feodorovna’s 1908-1912 Album/ Page 73b - photo 1166