1902 Unique Russian Imperial Antique Grand Duke Michael Cover Brother Last Tsar
Genuine 1902 Grand Duke Michael Monogram Cover. 1902 cover from Grand Duke Michael Aleksandrovich to his former tutor Ferdinand Thormeyer to Carouge, Switzerland. On back is the Grand Duke's personal embossed Imperial crown of Grand Duke Michael, the youngest son of Tsar Aleksander III, and the brother of Tsar Nicholas II, was heir to the throne at this time.
Nicholas abdicated in Michael's favor in March 1917, but Michael refused the crown. He was the first Romanov to be murdered by the Bolsheviks in June 1918.
Thormeyer tutored the children of Tsar Aleksander III in French language and literature from 1886 until 1899. Original and extremely rare item, from Romanov Dynasty. Thousands of letters, photos & drawings have been discovered in Geneva. The documents were all sent by Alexander's children, Nicholas (who later became Nicholas II), George, Michael, Olga & Xenia to their Swiss tutor Ferdinand Thormeyer. Mr Thormeyer was born and brought up in Geneva, but emigrated to Russia as a young man where in 1886 he became a tutor of French language & literature to the imperial children. Throughout his time with them the children wrote him letters, partly as a way of practicing their French. But when Mr Thormeyer left Russia in 1899, they continued to write to him and to his family. Olga's letters only stopped when she died in exile in 1960... Tsar Nicholas II's brother has often been overlooked since his murder in 1918... In the end collection brought almost four times it pre-sale estimate.It comprised correspondences between H. H Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, H. H Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, H. H Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and H. H Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna and their private tutor Mr Ferdinand Thormeyer of Switzerland.
Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich of Russia remains something of an untapped, even forgotten, niche for collectors of historic Russian memorabilia. Michael originally succeeded his grandfather, Alexander II, as reigning Emperor of All the Russians, but deferred his acceptance of the throne until an elected assembly was approved. Before being confirmed as Emperor, Mikhael was murdered in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Given that his reign lasted only a few hours, Mikhail is today an often overlooked footnote in Russia history, overshadowed by his brother Nicholas II who became Russia's last de facto Tsar following Mikhail's death.Nevertheless he is sometimes referred to by historians as Michael II, and his memory apparently burned strong at Hôtel des Ventes' Geneva sale. Also from Mikhail's childhood were 35 notes & drawings, which impressively exceeded 400-600 estimate to bring 16,800 Swiss francs. On March 16, Grand Duke Michael renounced the throne that his brother left for him. Fearing that another tsar would only encourage the revolution, Michael at least had the foresight to see that a drastic change was necessary to keep Russia from imploding in on herself.
With the grand duke's renunciation, the 304-year-old Romanov dynasty came to an abrupt end. Within sixteen months, the last reigning tsar, Nicholas II, and (according to very few) the technical last tsar, Michael, were both murdered by the Bolsheviks.Michael was living in a hotel in Perm with his butler, until one night in June 1918, when they were abducted by Bolshevik soldiers, hauled into the woods and shot. A month later, Nicholas and his entire family were slaughtered by their guards. The photo, of Grand Duke Michael, not included in this lot, it.
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