Princess Zenaida Yusupova - discussion and pictures

[ashanti01]

You know for a long time I thought that this picture was taken either right before or right after the Revolution, however seeing as many pictures as I have of her during the first world war, I think it may have been taken as early as 1910 give or a take a year. DOes anyone know when it was taken?

[Svetabel]

You know for a long time I thought that this picture was taken either right before or right after the Revolution, however seeing as many pictures as I have of her during the first world war, I think it may have been taken as early as 1910 give or a take a year. DOes anyone know when it was taken?

The photo was taken in 1913 by a photographer Heine.

[ashanti01]

Thank you!

[Mari]

The Pelegrina belonged to Marie Antoinette right? I believe that is posted in an previous link Why was it a talisman to Princess Zinaida? I believe She also owned  furniture of Marie Antoinette's is there a special significance? Beautiful photo's by the way.... 

[ashdean]

The Pelegrina belonged to Marie Antoinette right? I believe that is posted in an previous link Why was it a talisman to Princess Zinaida? I believe She also owned  furniture of Marie Antoinette's is there a special significance? Beautiful photo's by the way.... 

The Pelegrina did not belong to Marie Antoinette...please look on the earlier Youssoupoff jewel thread to see its history...and its fate after  Zenaida's death in 1939 and its sale by Felix to the jeweller Jean Lombard of Geneva in 1952.

[Mari]

Thank you found it.

La Pelegrina belonged to King Philip IV and he gave it to his daughter Maria Teresa when she married Louis XIV of France in 1660. However, there is no document to confirm that this pearl was among the French royal jewels

.  But I missed the next sentence and assumed the pearl was still in the French Jewel collection....too bad they cannot confirm it. I would like to know what happened to it between then and it turning up in the Yussupova collection. 
 

[ashdean]

Thank you found it.

La Pelegrina belonged to King Philip IV and he gave it to his daughter Maria Teresa when she married Louis XIV of France in 1660. However, there is no document to confirm that this pearl was among the French royal jewels

.  But I missed the next sentence and assumed the pearl was still in the French Jewel collection....too bad they cannot confirm it. I would like to know what happened to it between then and it turning up in the Yussupova collection. 
 

It was bought in Moscow by Princess Tatiana Youssoupoff from the Zosima brothers (dealers?) nobody knows  FOR SURE if it was the same pearl that Louis XIV's wife had brought from Spain.

[Windsor]

Does anyone know how Zinaida dressed in exile?  Did she maintain her previous style?  Did she wear her jewels?

[ashdean]

In exile Zenaida dressed very simply..she had put on weight,she had little money or inclination for fashiom...her day had past. Princess Tatiana Metternich a friend of her grandaughter remembered her wearing soft,lacy clothes and a broad velvet neck ribbon to replace the pearl dogcollar and describes her as supremely elegant.She at the end of her life still owned the Pelegrina,the Azra necklace and a pair of important pearl & diamond stud earrings (salvaged from pawn by the MGM payout)...However she seems to have worn little jewelry..perhaps rings but only a very modest strand of pearls...perhaps this was as much in deference to less fortunate fellow emigrees..

[Windsor]

Very interesting, thank you Ashdean.

Any idea of how she spent her days?

[Eddie_uk]

I was thinking that it would be interesting to see the Princesses will and the items she owned at the time of her death.

[Annie]

However she seems to have worn little jewelry..perhaps rings but only a very modest strand of pearls...perhaps this was as much in deference to less fortunate fellow emigrees..

According to Felix in Lost Splendor, she 'wasn't fond of jewelry' and never wore much, even in his youth. Maybe she was more of a collector than a wearer.

[ashdean]

However she seems to have worn little jewelry..perhaps rings but only a very modest strand of pearls...perhaps this was as much in deference to less fortunate fellow emigrees..

According to Felix in Lost Splendor, she 'wasn't fond of jewelry' and never wore much, even in his youth. Maybe she was more of a collector than a wearer.

I think she was like our dear Queen...A INHERITOR !!! who wore when needed (and enjoyed on occasion) wearing her wonderous gems,had items adapted or created but was not totally obsessed with them....the Pelegrina seems to have been the only historic gem she really cared about....At the start of the last century she was a valued customer of Cartier..however it was for "fashionable gems of not great importance" no doubt lavish gifts for her fabled Christmas tree...

[Windsor]

Great question, Eddieboy!

Does anyone have an idea as to what Znaida owned at her death? 

[ashdean]

Great question, Eddieboy!

Does anyone have an idea as to what Znaida owned at her death? 

I would imagine  apart from The Pelegrina very little...The Azra necklace & pearl earrings..other trinkets like rings....family paintings & bric a brac,the furnishings of her 3 rooms.. very little in the way of cash.Felix no doubt saw to her bills and gave her (or her maid) cash when needed etc