Smoking is injurious to health, but it definitely doesn’t seem to go out of style! Last week, Sotheby’s saw massive bidding for imperial cigarette cases, which were once owned by Russia’s royal family. These exquisite smoking accessories fetched the auction house close to $11.6millions, which is over seven times the estimated value. A bejeweled Fabergé imperial cigarette case earned twelve times its estimated value at over $1.02millions.
Another cigarette case gifted by Emperor Nicholas II to his wife Alexandra earned over $1million. A Fabergé silver, enamel, and seed pearl charka made in 1911 in Moscow earned approximately $65,000. Snuff boxes, cuff links, and other valuables of the last royal Russian rulers were some of the other items that went under the hammer.
[Artinfo]
