Featured Gold pin brooch Czar of Russia Nicholas II and his wife

Found this piece ! Pretty cool . Anyone seen anything similar to this?

 

Nice find, sam. Any marks, maybe on the pin?
Could you show us the back please? And is the photo enameled, or is it on porcelain?

 

Think it's a regular picture because the pin is glass covered over the photo

 

Thanks, good to know. So it is a portrait/photo brooch with a photo of Nicholas and Alexandra. Worn by someone who liked the imperial couple.

 

Old-ish too - the pin stem is a lot longer than the pin.

 

It should be able to be dated by the photographs. That said... I couldn't find duplicates.

Debora

 

Oh, I bet it's their engagement. That would date it to 1894.

Debora

 

This appears to be his photograph (flopped.) Engagement as above. 1894.

Debora

 

Both her hairstyle and sleeves on her dress would support that. Plus, he looks a bit younger to me than he looked in later days.

I think it's a different photo that you found, though... the tops of her sleeves are a lot more "poufy" in the one you found, and have lace on the top.

 

The brooch is a composite photograph. The above appears to be the photograph of him that was used to compose it. Obviously, it's not the same photograph of her.

Debora

 

This appears to be the same dress. The photograph of her may have been taken at the same sitting. Once again. Engagement. Taken in Coburg.

Debora

 

Here's another photograph from the same sitting so likely to be source.

Debora

 

He really did look like his cousins, and it wasn't just the shared facial hair.

 

I crave this ! I was a huge Nicholas and Alexandra fan growing up,probably because of the movie. it wasnt until I got older and really learned what that was all about that the shine dulled .Theres a fabulous book "Former People" that I suggest you all read . So sad . I still want this though.

 

I'll have to check out that book

 

She looks thrilled

 

Even young she seemed like the most miserable person going .

 

Apparently, she was shy and serious.

Debora

 

The downcast eyes thing was a 'maidenly modesty" thing. Dunno about the rest.

 

According to all sources, she was happily married, and he, too. They both seem to have been in love with each other, religiously pious and observant, conscientious parents, and in general in possession of all Christian human virtues except the notion of entitlement that they bore as members of very high aristocracy. These virtues though. seem to have played negative role in the revolutionary events that marked their reign and caused their downfall and death at the end. He was the only known Russian tsar fidelious to his wife and without any hint of extramarital affair. Very interesting historical paradox - a very good human being made a poor governor and politician - I mean Nicholas II.
The above is not based on this photo, of course, but on numerous studies and historical books about the last Russian imperial couple.