Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich of Russia (1878–1918) was the youngest son of Tsaritsa Maria Fedorovna and Tsar Alexander III of Russia; by the way named up after Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich (1596–1645), who was the first Romanov on the Russian throne in 1613. He was close with his sister, Grand Duchess Olga, and they often visited Denmark along with their Danish-born mother. From 1904, the Grand Duke was second-in-line to the Russian throne. By his older brother, Tsar Nicholas IIs abdication on March 15 1917, which also included the Tsarevich, the Russian throne therefore went to Grand Duke Mikhail. On March 16, he was proclaimed Tsar, but later the same day he handed over the power to the Provisional Government. In reality, Grand Duke Mikhail was therefore Russia's last Tsar. He was shot in Soviet captivity 1918.

Provenance: Current owner's great-grandfather, Nicholas Joh. Johansen (1852–1927), stationmaster in Klampenborg, located near Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna's Danish residence “Hvidøre”. He received them as a gift from Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich as a reward for faithful service at a reception in Klampenborg.