Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu

A Russian Imperial silver presentation cigarette and vesta case, by Nicholls & Plincke, circa 1880, presented to Lord Carrington by His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Mickhailovich, the case of rectangular form, with quartered reeded decoration to both sides, the front applied with gold Royal crowned cyrillic cypher ‘AM’, dated below ‘1888’, the reverse with gold initial ‘C’, beneath Baron’s coronet, and ‘SYDNEY’ applied below, with cabochon sapphire thumbpiece, the gilt interior containing handwritten note, (partially adhered to interior), stamped maker’s mark, city mark for St Petersburg, 84 standard, (lacking taper), length 10.3cm. £2,600-£3,000

The handwritten note reads: ‘Presented by H.I.H. The Grand Duke Alexander of Russia to H. E. Lord Carrington Governor of New South Wales. Sydney Nov. 20. 1888.’

Charles Robert Carrington, Earl Carrington and Marquess of Lincolnshire, served monarch and country conscientiously and with dedication throughout his life.

He was appointed governor of New South Wales in 1885 and his five-year tenure of office earned him praise and approbation both from the colonists and from his masters in Whitehall. The year of 1888 marked the centenary of the founding of the colony and it was probably in connection with the ensuing celebrations that he was presented with this cigarette case by the Grand Duke Alexander.

Amongst the many offices held by Lord Carrington on his return from Australia were President of the Board of Agriculture, Lord Privy Seal and Lord Chamberlain. On the accession of George V, he was made Lord Great Chamberlain. He also had the honour of being admitted to the Order of the Garter.

His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich was the brother-in-law of Tsar Nicholas II. He had a career in the Russian navy and was Chief of the Imperial Russian Air Service during the Great War. He had the good fortune to escape Russia in December 1918. He died at his villa on the Côte d’Azur in 1933.

The makers of this cigarette case, Nicholls & Plincke, were amongst the foremost jewellers and silversmiths in St Petersburg and were imperial warrant holders. The founders of the firm, Constantin Nicholls and William Plincke, were both English and the company was known for importing English silver wares into Russia.