ALEXANDRA FEODOROVNA: (1872-1918) Empress Consort of Russia, wife of Tsar Nicholas II. The last Tsarina of Russia, known for her notorious friendship with the Russian mystic Rasputin. A very fine signed albumen silver print photograph, the image showing her seated in an elegant three quarter length pose in semi profile. Signed ('Alexandra') and dated 1899 in dark fountain pen ink to the upper left corner in her hand. Measures 9 7/8" high 6 3/8"wide. In good condition, some extremely minor, very light staining to the lower left corner of the image.

A wonderful signed portrait, presented by Nicholas II and Alexandra to Ethan A. Hitchcock (1835-1909), American Ambassador to Russia and Secretary of the Interior under President Theodore Roosevelt. The lower portion of the photograph has the impressed A. Pasetti with St. Petersbourg Nevsky 24 address along with an impressed Imperial Russian double-headed eagle coat of arms for the Russian Empire. Back of cabinet photograph bears the A. Pasetti Photographer's label mark with a St. Petersburg, Russia studio address that reads; A. Pasetti Photographe De La Cour Jmperiale de Russie. De Sa Majeste La Reine Des Hellenes, De Son Altesse Imp. Le Gr. Duc Paul Alexandrovvitch, De S.A.J. Mme La Grsnfr Duchesse Alexandra Josifovna De S.A. Royale Le Prince De Calles Et De La Cour De Saxe Meiningen Nevsky No. 24 St. Petersbourg Telephon No. 700. The imperial Russian photographer Alexander Ivanovich Pasetti was active from 1870s to the1900s.

Provenance: The photograph was presented by Russian Czar Nicholas II to Ethan A. Hitchcock (1835-1909) Secretary of the Interior under President Theodore Roosevelt and Minister to Russia in 1897 and first Ambassador to the Court of Russia in 1898. The photograph was passed down in the Hitchcock family to Ethan's daughter Anne E. Hitchcock (pictured in photograph being presented to the Russian Czarina in 1897). Anne later married William Sowden Sims (1858-1936) who commanded all United States naval forces during World War I and who also won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1921. The diamond and gold enamel Faberge handle and signed photograph of Alexandra's husband Russian Czar Nicholas II being offered, also descended from the Ethan A. Hitchcock family. Scans from photographs of Anne Hitchcock and her husband Admiral Sims are included from the book "Admiral Sims and the Modern American Navy" by Elting E. Morrison. Scans of then Lieutenant Sims 1896 international passport with Russian stamps are also included.