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Fine antique signed letter from Princess Maria Mikhailovna Raevskaya (Tsarskoe Selo 1872-1942), dated Rome 8th November 1923, addressed to Count Alexei Nikolaevich Ignatieff (1874-1948), discussing the dreadful state of her home "all blackened and converted into a cinematography craft workshop and it is all robbed inside and there is not a single chair left in it, not a single picture - everything is robbed and stolen. There are only portraits of Lenin and Trotsky hanging on one wall. The door to the former house of Nechaev Maltsev is broken. iN the garage, where furniture and belongings of Zvegintseva's daughter were kept, everything was plundered and taken away. In C.S. house is a den of vagrants, it is very dirty and spoiled. The house in Crimea serves to some kind of bolshevik administration, the whole is destroyed...I am 72 years old, and it is time to die. I am very tired. Despite the fact that I believe that my dear Russia will be reborn." There is a translation in the final image.
Antique Imperial Russian Signed Letter Princess Maria Raevskaya Count Ignatieff
£350.00
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Bibelotslondon Ltd is a UK registered company based in London Bridge dealing in ephemera and curiosities from Britain and around the world. Our diverse inventory is carefully chosen and constantly evolving. We work very hard to offer the highest quality works at competitive prices. Our inventory is listed online, and we strive to keep our website completely up to date, so our customers can easily check availability. We believe in offering clients items that are unique and rare for aficionados of the antique and collector's world. Bibelot is a late nineteenth century word derived from the French word bel ‘beautiful’, meaning a small item of beauty, curiosity or interest. The word ephemera is derived from the sixteenth century Greek word ephmera meaning a printed or hand written paper not meant to be retained for a long period of time.
Ignatieff married Princess Maria Youlievna Ourousoff (1876-1959) and after a brilliant career in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, was appointed by Tsar Nicholas II in 1903 to the honorary title of Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Imperial Court. In parallel he also became deputy governor of Ryazan, then from 1911 to 1915, he took office as governor of Podolsk before becoming governor of Kiev from 1915 to 1916. During World War I he became the representative Plenipotentiary of the Russian Red Cross and in the White Army from 1918 to 1924, he held the same post in Estonia. in this capacity he was able to help many people leave Russia. Forced to resign, he left Russia for exile, and like many of his compatriots found himself in Paris along with his wife and children. He rained in contact with most member os the Russian aristocracy, of which he was also related to a large number until his death.
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Size: 21.5 x 27 cm approx
Photos
form part of the description
Sub-Type: Royalty
Type: Historical
Signed: Yes
Object: Signed Letters
Country/Region of Manufacture: Russian Federation