Lecture "Masterpieces of the Diamond Treasury of the Moscow Kremlin"

Lecture "Masterpieces of the Diamond Treasury of the Moscow Kremlin" within the lecture series "Jewellery Encyclopedia" takes place in Kaliningrad Regional Amber Museum on 20 November (Thursday) at 18.30. It will be conducted by museum's deputy director for research, art expert, candidate of pedagogical sciences Irina Toropova.

Collection of unique nuggets, jewellery made of precious metals and stones that have historical and artistic meaning is exhibited in the Diamond Treasury of the Moscow Kremlin. The collection was started in 18th century, when Peter the Great  issued a special decree on preservation of things, "belonging to the state", admitting thereby that the most significant of them should be property of not just the royal family, but of the Russian State.

Precious objects of the state regalia, medalic awards and high society jewellery of many generations of  tsars until 1914 were kept in the special Brilliant cabinet of the Winter Palace. After the World War I had started, the treasures were evacuated quickly to the Moscow Kremlin, where they were kept for almost eight years. In 1922 Commission for discovery and expertise of items of decorative and applied art and jewellery art confirmed unique historical and artistic value of the object of the former Brilliant cabinet and defined necessity of study and secure preservation of the collection as part of the State depositary for Precious Metals and Gems.

Exhibition of the Diamond Treasury opened in 1967. Its most significant exhibits are the Great and Small Imperial Crowns, the imperial scepter with the Orlov diamond, the imperial orb, brilliant badge on the chain and a star for it of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle the First-Called, Shakh diamond.