Product Details
P. WEBLEY & SON, LONDON & BIRMINGHAM
AN HISTORICALLY INTERESTING .38 (S&W) MKIII POCKET REVOLVER, serial no. 12489,
believed given by The Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia, with a 4in. barrel inscribed on the right hand side 'FROM GRAND DUKE MICHAEL, GOD BLESS YOU!', the left inscribed 'WAR DECLARED TO GERMANY ON THE 4TH AUG. 1914', break-open frame with auto-ejecting fluted six-shot cylinder, the top-strap marked 'P.WEBLEY & SON, LONDON & BIRMINGHAM', double-action mechanism and chequered hard-rubber grips (right with small chip at toe), finish worn
Provenance: Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia (4 December 1878 – 13 June 1918) was the youngest son and fifth child of Emperor Alexander III of Russia and youngest brother of Tsar Nicholas II. At the time of his birth, his paternal grandfather Alexander II was still the reigning Emperor of All the Russias. Michael was fourth-in-line to the throne after his father and elder brothers Nicholas and George. After the assassination of his grandfather in 1881, he became third-in-line and, in 1894, after the death of his father, second-in-line. George died in 1899, leaving Michael as heir presumptive to Tsar Nicholas II.
The birth of Nicholas's son Alexei in 1904 moved Michael back to second-in-line, but Alexei was gravely ill with hemophilia and Michael suspected the boy would die, leaving him as heir. Michael caused a commotion at the Imperial Court when he took Natalia Sergeyevna Wulfert, a married woman, as a lover. Nicholas sent Michael to Orel to avoid scandal but this did not deter Michael, who travelled frequently to see his mistress. After the couple's only child, George, was born in 1910, Michael brought Natalia to St. Petersburg where she was shunned by society. In 1912, Michael shocked Nicholas by marrying Natalia in the hope that he would be removed from the line of succession. Michael and Natalia left Russia to live in exile abroad in France, Switzerland and England.
After the outbreak of World War I, Michael returned to Russia, assuming command of a cavalry regiment. When Nicholas abdicated on 15 March 1917, Michael was named as his successor instead of Alexei. Michael, however, deferred acceptance of the throne until ratification by an elected assembly. He was never confirmed as Emperor and, following the Russian Revolution of 1917, he was imprisoned and later murdered along with the rest of the Russian royal family.
It is believed this revolver was gifted by the Grand Duke to an unknown officer whilst the Duke was staying in England
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Estimate £400-600
S5 - Sold as a Section 5 Firearm under the 1968 Firearms Act, Section 7.3 Eligible.
Unless prior arrangement has been made, two weeks after the Sealed bid sale, all Section 5 (and Section 7.1 / 7.3) items will be moved to a Section 5 carriers where storage charges will be incurred.
Goods will not be released until all outstanding charges have been met. Collection will be by arrangement.