Auction Catalogue

13 July 2011

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Commemorative, Historical and Art Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

Download Images

Lot

№ 1445

.

13 July 2011

Hammer Price:
£600

Visit of the Grand Duke Constantine of Russia to Birmingham, 1847, a silver medal by G.R. Collis, bust right in military attire, rev. legend in 15 lines, 52mm (BHM 2263). Edge bruise on reverse at 11 o’clock and other minor rim marks, otherwise extremely fine and dark-toned, extremely rare; in maroon case of issue by G.R. Collis, Goldsmiths, Silversmiths, Medalists, &c To the Royal Family, Church Street, Birmingham, gilt-blocked with Constantine’s personal crest £300-400

Grand Duke Constantine Nikolayevich (1827-92), the second son of Czar Nicholas I and the great-great grandfather of Charles, Prince of Wales, was given nominal command of a frigate at the age of 9 and promoted to the rank of captain at 16. In the summer of 1847 this “short ugly man, with a loud voice, quick temper and brusque manners” was sent on a goodwill visit to England to take his mind off his impending nuptials to Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg, a lady to whom he was later to refer to scathingly as his ’government-issue wife’ during a series of liaisons with other women in the last 25 years of his life