The Facts
Aguttes announced that it will auction an exceptional silver-gilt tea and coffee service belonging to Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaïevna of Russia (1822–1892), daughter of Tsar Nicholas I, as part of its Classical Arts sale on November 12, 2026, in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Crafted in St. Petersburg in 1840 by Carl Johann Tegelsten and Henrik August Lång for the firm Nicholls & Plincke, the eight-piece ensemble includes a monumental samovar, coffee pot, teapot, covered sugar bowl, milk jug, tea strainer, sugar tongs and a large oval tray, totaling nearly 20 kg of silver gilt. The service carries an estimate of €40,000 to €80,000 and features Olga Nikolaïevna's intertwined Cyrillic monogram surmounted by the imperial crown, with the Russian double-headed eagle on the opposite side. A comparable service made for her sister, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaïevna, in 1839 by the same makers is now preserved at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.
The Signal
The reappearance of a complete imperial tea and coffee service of this scope on the market is a rare event, as most components of Olga Nikolaïevna's dowry have been dispersed among museums and private collections. Grégoire de Thoury, Head of the Furniture & Works of Art Department at Aguttes, noted that the deliberately broad estimate reflects the lack of recent comparable sales and allows the market to determine the final price through competitive bidding. The sale offers collectors a chance to acquire a coherent ensemble representing the pinnacle of Russian court silversmithing and late Neoclassicism, with the added resonance of the imperial family history of Tsar Nicholas I.
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- People: Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaïevna of Russia, Grégoire de Thoury, Carl Johann Tegelsten, Henrik August Lång, Tsar Nicholas I, Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaïevna
- Auction Houses: Aguttes
- Museums: Fabergé Museum, Russian Museum
- Locations: St. Petersburg, Neuilly-sur-Seine
- Prices: €40,000–€80,000
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