Lot 31: A Pair of Jewelled and Enamelled Gold Cuff-Links

A Pair of Jewelled and Enamelled Gold Cuff-Links
Mark of Alexander Tillander, St Petersburg, 1908-1917, scratched inventory number 29507
The circular opaque white enamelled border surmounted by a gold crown, enclosing the opaque blue enamelled Cyrillic initials of Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich, centering a diamond, with gold link chain and bar terminal, fully marked
7/8 in. (2.2 cm.) high (2)

George C. de Dvorjitsky, Senior Lieutenant of the Imperial Russian Navy (1889-1971).
Then by direct descent.

VAT rate of 15% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium.
Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich (1877-1943) was the grandson of Emperor Alexander II and first cousin of Emperor Nicholas II. He was born the third son of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna. Grand Duke Boris was a Major General in the Russian Army and served in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. He escaped revolutionary Russia and eventually settled in France.

All the members of the Vladimir family were clients of Alexander Tillander and the sums of their orders are listed separately in the firm's annual books. The commissions of Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich were small pieces with his initials. Between the years 1909 and 1914, Grand Duke Boris purchased objects (at the price of 50-100 roubles per item or per pair) in the following amounts:

1909: 658 roubles
1910: 756 roubles
1911: 1,200 roubles
1912: 734 roubles
1913: 2,521 roubles
1914: 2,370 roubles

Like Fabergé, Tillander scratched each object of stock, as well as commissions, with an inventory number.

We are grateful to Ulla Tillander-Godenhielm for providing the above information on the firm of Alexander Tillander.