Let me add, rule of the sale, in English and french:
OBJECTS FABERGE, ARGENTERIE AND HISTORIC MEMORIES WITH APPARTENU:
Count Felix Soumarokoff-Elston Prince Youssoupoff (1856-1928)
From the children he had with Zénaïde Gregorieff (1880-1965)
Story of a secret love morganatique.
Many families were living in the areas belonging to Youssoupoff, Gregorieff were among this group. Count Felix Soumarokoff-Elston Prince Youssoupoff since his marriage to the last holder of the title, was sponsor of several children. And when he wore on funds baptismal, replying to a girl sweet name of his own wife, Count cared for the child as his own daughter. He placed at her mother as a lady companion, and then only with the passage of time, they s'éprirent gradually from one another. Their romance began in 1910, but could not get married, they vivèrent illegally defended this love. In 1912, was born a son, Nicolas, who unfortunately died two years later. Life took its course difficult, while the First World War was raging, the young Zénaïde, based in St. Petersburg, gave birth to a new child named Olivier (1916-2004). The revolution moved and devastated Russia as a whole. Insecurity and anxiety prevailed increasingly in St. Petersburg forcing Gregorieff the exodus to the Crimea, where in the small town of Alupka, a new existence was based. The duo saw as often as possible, because the Count Felix was located not far from there, at Aï-Todor, with his wife and son Felix. This property belonged to the Russian Grand Duke Alexander, whose daughter, Irina had married in 1914 Prince Felix Youssoupoff (1887-1967).
The Bolshevik troops landed in the Crimea and in February 1919, all Romanoff residing in the region as well as allied families and members of their suite were rounded up in the field of Dulber and placed under house arrest. The mother of Emperor Nicolas II, Maria Féodorovna, succeeds in April of that year to evacuate his family on the ship sent by his sister, the Queen of England. All Youssoupoff found themselves on board. The Count, desperate, failed, despite all its efforts, to evacuate at the same time as him, his mistress, then pregnant. Once in Rome, Felix managed with the help of his private secretary, Mr. Svetiloff and with false papers to pass Zénaïde, Olivier and small Tatiana, born on July 7, 1920, for the wife and children of his secretary. Under this new identity that they arrived in Constantinople. It will now be impossible to abandon this name. After more than two years of absence, Zénaïde finally regained the Count in Rome, where the young woman lived Via Humbria a few steps from the residence of Youssoupoff. The Count, very considerate, took an active part in the education of his children born out of wedlock. They regularly visited, filled present and posed with them in the studio photographers. Often they were in the famous garden del Pincio, near the Vatican.
But in 1924, a stroke transformed this man warning, full of vigor and energy, an old man impotent. He died suddenly in the night of 11 to 12 June 1928 and the death of Count again upset the precarious balance of this family. In addition, the frailty of the small Olivier much his mother worried that on the advice of doctors, took the decision to live permanently on the Cote d'Azure, in Nice, mild climate. It was in this city, after subvenu the need for her children by selling one has an all jewelry received as a gift from Earl, on May 2, 1965, Zénaïde Gregorieff-Svetiloff die.
We will have to wait, 2007, to be revealed to the public this tragic love story. Because until now, no historian does to the existence of this family, which also never claimed anything on the legacy Youssoupoff which she was entitled as arranged by the Count before his death. By discretion, by courtesy and respect they prefer to live in the shadows, while keeping secret the story. The following are from the Count and his mistress. They were kept by their children, Olivier and Tatiana, Bonnard wife, and then by their descendants.
Cyril Boulay
