An interesting Russian Imperial Photography Album

Assembled between the 1930s and 1950s by a high ranking officer of the Imperial Army, containing 36 pages with photographs and newspaper clippings relating to Grand Duke Vladimir Kirillovich of Russia (1917- 1992) and his wife Princess Leonida Georgievna Bagration- Moukhransky (born 1914), Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1907 - 1994) and his wife Grand Duchess Kira Kirillovna of Russia (1909 - 1967).  



Several Photographs are signed by the sitters and dated, amongst them a card commemorating the silver wedding of Grand Duke Cyril Vladimirovich and his wife Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh on 8^{th October 1930, another photograph of the couple signed and dated 1935, private photographs of the family taken in Ker Argonid, St. Briac, and an elegant photograph of Grand Duchess Kira at the piano, signed and dated 1932; an early photograph of Grand Duke Cyril signed and dated 1906, another of his son Vladimir with signature and date 1943, another of him and his wife, Grand Duchess Marie dated 1950.}

This lot also contains an historically important signed photograph of Grand Duke Cyril dated 1931, which is inscribed on the back with a dedication to K. L. Stefanovich 31^st August 1931 and was issued by the Chancellery of HM; there is also the circular stamp with the Imperial eagle inscribed "The Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty". This is a rare document showing that Duke Vladimir took the position of Emperor with the Imperial title. The Grand Duke assumed the position of head of the House of Romanov and pretender to the throne in St. Briac 26^th July 1924 and proclaimed himself as Emperor of all Russians 31^st August 1924.