Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna: A Russian Imperial Presentation Suite of Kovshi Saltykov, Retailed by I.I. Ozeritskii, Moscow, 1899-1908 4 x 6 x 9-1/4 inches (10.2 x 15.2 x 23.5 cm) 946 grams PROVENANCE: Presented to Léon Escalaïs by Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia; Thence likely by descent; Hampel Fine Art Auctions, Munich, Russische Kunst, December 7, 2007, lot 654; John Atzbach Antiques, Bellevue, Washington, acquired from the above; Acquired from the above by the present owner. French tenor Léon Escalaïs was born in the south of France in 1859, and made his operatic debut as a 23-year-old as Arnold in Rossini's "William Tell" in 1883. Escalaïs was noted for his exceptional range, and was capable of extreme acuti, singing with power and clarity up to a high D and beyond. Escalaïs only gave one performance in Russia: he sang in Odessa (now Ukraine) in 1908, but the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna was in Paris several times between 1883 and 1892, when Escalaïs was under contract with the Paris Opera, and the French plaque indicates that the gift may have been presented after a Parisian performance during this period. Masterpieces of Russian Enamel from an Important American Collection HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved