The Romanovs ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917, when the Revolution brought their reign to an end. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were a time of elegance and extravagance for the tsars and the wealthy families with whom they were linked by marriage, and nowhere are these lavish tastes more apparent than in the imperial jewels.
Every jewel tells a story. Through his work at Sotheby’s and Christie’s and his own research, Stefano Papi has spent years unraveling the mysteries of Russian imperial jewelry. He identifies pieces with little or unknown provenance and uncovers the fascinating stories behind the jewels and the people who wore them, from the golden years through the Revolution to life in exile in Europe and America. This new edition, published to tie in with the 400th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, features forty-eight additional pages and some sixty new illustrations.
Reviews
Stefano Papi has been wise enough to lard his text with photographs of the individual pieces as well as portraits of the Romanovs and their relatives… We can see the effects that such objects d’art had on the mere mortals who wore them.
— The Wall Street Journal
A suitably lavish book showcasing the remarkable jewels owned by members of the last Russian czarist dynasty.
— Women's Wear Daily
Contributors
Stefano Papi
Author
Stefano Papi is based in London and has worked as Senior European Specialist in the jewelry departments of both Sotheby’s and Christie’s auction houses.
