Offered by Aspire Auctions, lot 394 Bust of Nicholas I (1825-1855), Czar of the Russian Empire. Portrayed in military uniform and helmet with double headed crowned Imperial Eagle and attached to a silver socle. Front plate with "Nicolas I" in Cyrillic. With maker's hallmark "Morozov" in Cyrillic with Imperial Warrant of double headed Imperial Eagle to the right, city mark for St. Petersburg, and assay mark for Aleksandr Timofeyevich Shevyakov (1895-1898) and "84, 1896" underneath. Weighs 49.92 toz.

The silver casting was made by Morozov, the chief rival to Carl Faberge, also possessed the Imperial Warrant to supply items to the Imperial Court. This is symbolized by the Imperial Eagle on the hallmark of the bust. Ivan Ekimovich Morozov founded an important firm of jewelers and court purveyors "I.E.Morozov" in 1849 which remained in existence till 1917. Friedrich August Theodor Dietrich (German, 1817-1903) was born in Bojanovo (Posen), studied under Drake, Rauch, Tieck and others in Berlin. In 1856 modeled bronze statuettes of the Russian Tzar Nicolas I and the Prussian King Frederick Wilhelm IV.

This item is estimated $2,500-$5,000 and is currently at $2,300. Bidding is going on now at www.aspireauctions.com. The lot will close this Thursday October 30th at 4:33 pm Eastern Time, USA.