Miniature toys and models

A LARGE WOOD AND METAL SHIP MODEL OF TSAR NICHOLAS II YACHT 'STANDART' Late 19th century 210 cm long, 72 cm high. In 1893, Tsar Alexander III of Russia ordered an imperial yacht from the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in Copenhagen, Denmark. The ship was named Standart and very soon became world famous for its size, effective engine and beauty. The Standart was undoubtedly built in Copenhagen because Alexander III was married to Empress Maria Fjodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, and she readily supported Danish trade and industry. Alexander III died in 1894, and so it was the son, Tsar Nicholas II, who took over the imperial yacht in 1896, when it was completed. In fact, it was a sailing palace, with several salons, a dining room, a church and even a cowshed. The imperial family liked to spend their summer holidays on board the Standart, visiting family in Denmark, Britain, Germany or when they sailed to their summer palace in the Crimea. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Standart had a fabulous fate that is still not fully explained. The official Russian version is that the Standart was used as a target in missile exercises in the Baltic Sea in 1961. Nevertheless, the Russians are still searching for the Standart, because she may indeed have sunk during the exercises. In 1896, two ship models of the Standart were built - one for the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in Copenhagen and another for the yacht itself. The model that belonged to the shipyard is now in the Diesel House museum in Copenhagen, while the other ship model has disappeared. This ship model was probably built in the years 1893-1896 by one of the employees of the Burmeister & Wain shipyard. LARGE SHIP MODEL OF THE YACHT 'STANDART' OF CZAR NIKOLAUS II. FROM RUSSIA end of 19th c. Wood, partly coloured, metal. L. 210 cm, h. 72 cm. Min. rest. In 1893 Tsar Alexander III of Russia ordered an imperial yacht from the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in Copenhagen, Denmark. The ship was named Standart and very soon became world famous for its size, effective engine and beauty. The Standart was undoubtedly built in Copenhagen because Alexander III was married to the Empress Maria Fyodorovna, born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, and she readily supported Danish trade and industry. Alexander III died in 1894, and so it was the son, Tsar Nicholas II, who took over the imperial yacht in 1896, when it was completed. In fact, it was a sailing palace, with several salons, a dining room, a church, and even a cow barn. The Imperial family enjoyed spending their summer holidays aboard the Standart, visiting family in Denmark, Britain, Germany or when they sailed to their summer palace in the Crimea. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the Standart had a fabulous fate that is still not fully explained. The official Russian version is that the Standart was used as a target in missile exercises in the Baltic in 1961. Nonetheless, the Russians are still searching for the Standart, as she may indeed have sunk during the exercises. In 1896, two ship models of the Standart were built - one for the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in Copenhagen and another for the yacht itself. The model that belonged to the shipyard is now in the Diesel House museum in Copenhagen, while the other ship model has disappeared. This ship model was probably built by one of the employees of the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in the years 1893-1896.

A BRONZE BUST OF A YOUNG CHILD 'BUSTE D'ENFANT' AFTER AIME JULES DALOU (FRENCH 1838-1902) cast by the Hebrard foundry, signed 'Dalou', numbered '9' and with foundry mark 'Cire Perdue A. A. Hebrard', mounted on a verde antico marble plinth 40.8cm high, 30.5cm wide, 16cm deep Catalogue Note; This present lot relates to Dalou's commission to provide a marble monument celebrating Queen Victoria's children for a private chapel at Windsor Castle. This model served as a preliminary sketch for one of the figures in the monument. Both the terracotta maquette for the monument and the original study for 'Buste d'Enfant' are currently part of the Petiti Palais Collection in Paris. This bronze was cast shortly after Dalou's death in 1902, no lifetime casts were ever made.