Cigarette case.
Petersburg, 1895-1899
Firm of C. Faberge, Workshop of E. Shramm
Gold, sapphire
1,9x8,7x6,1cm
State Historical Museum, Moscow

This cigarette case is decorated on both sides with monograms in applique of the Preobrazhensky Regiment under an Imperial crown and a monogram of an unknown officer of the Preobrazhensky Regiment under a nobiliary crown. Inside there is an engraved inscription: "His Imperial Majesty Great Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich" and 85 names of these Regiment officers. This cigarette case was offered by the officers of the Preobrazhensky Regiment commanded by Great Prince Konstantin Konstantinovich Romanov, famous poet "K.R".

Konstantin Konstantinovich (1858-1915) — Great Prince, second son of Great Prince Konstantin Nikolaevich and Great Princess Alexandra Iosifovna, grand-son of Emperor Nicholas I, cousin of Emperor Alexander III, adjutant-general, Infantry General, since 1891 in command of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, in 1900-1910 chief of Military Schools, since 1910 —Inspector-General of Military Schools. Since 1899 — President of the Academy of Sciences, poet, dramatist, translator (literary pseudonym "K.R.")

Lifeguards of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, the ancient regiment of the Russian Guards, was founded by Emperor Peter the Great in 1693 from "poteshny" regiments.

Peter-Karl Faberge (1846 — 1920) was born in a family of a goldsmith G.Faberge, who established in 1842 a shop of gold and brilliants articles with a small workshop in Petersburg on the crossroad of Bolshaya Morskaya Street and Kirpichny pereulok.

His son Karl received a brilliant artistic and commercial education in German school of St.Anna in Petersburg, and later he graduated from the Commercial school in Dresden and Commercial College in Paris. At the same time he studied jewellery with a goldsmith H.Pendin, his father's partner and friend, later — in Frankfurt-on-Main with a famous jeweller Fridman and in Paris with Schloss. From 1865 C.Faberge worked in the firm of his father, at the same time he restored gratuitously the articles from the rich jewellery collection of the Hermitage. It was a sort of brilliant school for the jewellers of the firm of Faberge.

In 1872 the business passed from G.Faberge to his son Carl.

Ten years later the firm elaborated its proper style. Experts of the "Niva" magazine (N 4, 1882) resuming the All-Russian Art and Industry Exhibition, in Moscow where the firm of C.Faberge has participated for the first time said: "…now, thank to our famous jeweller not only gemstones and their cost but the art form shall be the main distinction of this branch of industry".

The first gold medal was awarded to the firm of C.Faberge at the All-Russian Exhibition of Art and industrial production in Moscow in 1882. Other high awards were at the exhibitions in Nuremberg (1885), Copenhagen (1888), Nizhny Novgorod (1896), Stockholm (1897). The World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 was its international triumph. The Paris Jewellers Gild granted C.Faberge the title of "Maestro" and the French Government awarded him the Order of the Legion of Honor. He was also awarded the Order of St.Stanislav of the 2nd and 3d class, St.Anna of the 3d class, and Commander Cross of Bulgaria.

In 1885 C.Faberge was awarded the highest distinction of the Russian Empire — the title of Court supplier with the right to have State arms at the trade sign.

Since 1890 he has been valuer of His Imperial Majesty Cabinet and Honorary citizen, since 1910 he has been counselor of fabrics and a court jeweller.

C. Faberge was under the highest patronage of Emperors Alexander III and Nicholas II. He was His Imperial Majesty Jeweller and jeweller of the Imperial Hermitage, as well as the jeweler of the royal families of Sweden, Norway, Great-Britain, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Siam. Rich aristocrats and industrials of all the countries acquired and commissioned his artworks.

In 1887 branches were open in Moscow, Odessa, London, Kiev, Nizhny Novgorod.

Schramm Edward Wilhelm — goldsmith, jeweller, owner of a workshop, worked for the firm of C.Faberge, active in 1878-1906.