Daria Khristova nee Chernenko
Department Director
VARIOUS PROPERTIES
Lot 109
Two bangles and a locketvarious makers
5 June 2013, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£1,500 - £1,800
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Two bangles and a locket
various makers
a hinged bangle marked RL, St. Petersburg and inscribed 'Chas Baird 31 March 1855', 56 standard; another red gold bangle unmarked, set with monogrammed hardstone intaglio; together with a gold locket, maker's mark unclear, St. Petersburg, circa 1890, the hinged cover applied with varicolour gold strapwork opening to reveal vacant glass compartment fitted to one side with a portrait of a lady (possibly George Baird's wife Sophia), 56 standard
height of locket with loop: 3.9cm (1 9/16in). (3)
a hinged bangle marked RL, St. Petersburg and inscribed 'Chas Baird 31 March 1855', 56 standard; another red gold bangle unmarked, set with monogrammed hardstone intaglio; together with a gold locket, maker's mark unclear, St. Petersburg, circa 1890, the hinged cover applied with varicolour gold strapwork opening to reveal vacant glass compartment fitted to one side with a portrait of a lady (possibly George Baird's wife Sophia), 56 standard
height of locket with loop: 3.9cm (1 9/16in). (3)
Footnotes
PROVENANCE:
The Baird family
Thence by descent
The Baird family's involvement in the production of steel and arms in St. Petersburg dates to 1786 when Charles Baird (1766-1852), originally from Westertown in Stirlingshire, joined Charles Gasgoigne from the Carron Company who'd been invited by Catherine II to run the Alexandrovsky ironworks at Peterozavodsk. In 1792, Charles entered into partnership with mill owner Francis Morgan. Together they established the Baird Works whose order and efficiency won the foundry important commissions.
In 1819, Charles's son Francis joined the foundry and by 1832, the Baird Works had made great strides in the manufacture of steam-driven machinery. Both Charles and Francis's efforts in the mechanical field were widely recognised as leading Alexander I to accept Charles as a Russian subject in 1811 and awarding him with various decorations.
In 1815, the factory built Russia's first steamship, the Elizaveta, which operated between St. Petersburg and Kronstadt. Baird's monopoly on that route enabled his steamships to dominate the waters around St. Petersburg.
In 1834, Nicholas I presented Charles with the Order of St. Vladimir 3rd Class for making the angel and bas relief for the Alexander Column outside the Winter Palace. Francis was similarly decorated when Alexander II awarded him the Order of St. Stanislas, 2nd class twice; once in 1855 for producing equipment for the arsenal and again in 1858 for providing steamship propellers. In 1860, Alexander gave him the Order of St. Anne 2nd class for his work on St. Isaac's cathedral.
Francis's son George was born in 1842 and remained in Russia until 1881, the year of Alexander II's assassination, upon which he sold the Baird Works to the Franco-Russian Society and settled in Berkeley Square, London.