ZEDDELER (Julia, b. 1866, Ballerina, sister of the ballerina Matilda Kschessinska, 1872-1971, and wife of Alexander, Baron)

Autograph letter signed, in Russian with translation, to her nephew Slava Kschessinsky (Astafiev) (d. 1976), sending him and his wife best wishes for Christmas, "please do not scold me for not writing for so long and for not sending the photographs you asked for ... Aunt Mala is guilty ... she was so busy, in the end she had her photograph copied and mine and Vova's she forgot. Aunt Mala sends hers as a present ... but I beg you to make a copy of mine and Vova's and return them to us as we have not got any more ...We are always thinking of you", 2 sides card, Paris, 20th December

When Nicholas II set up Matilda as his mistress in 1892, her father, the famous Polish dancer Felix Krzesinski (1823-1905), insisted that Julia keep house with her, and there Nicholas and Matilda gave dinner parties like any married couple.
Slava's mother Serafima Astafieva, 'Sima', 1876-1934, graduated from the Imperial Ballet School to the Maryinsky Theatre (now the Kirov) in 1895 and was in Diaghilev's company 1909-1911. In 1916 she opened a famous school at 152 King's Road, Chelsea. Her pupils included Alicia Markova, Anton Dolin, Margot Fonteyn, and Margot Luck (d. 1976), whom Slava married.
Julia's husband was a close friend of Tsar Nicholas II (1868-1918). They were young officers together in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and the Baron was one of five officers at the select dinner party given by the Tsar on the evening of his wedding. Julia, known as 'Mlle Kschessinska I', married the Baron in 1902 on completing 20 years on the stage.
The Zeddelers, with Matilda and her husband Grand Duke Andrei, left the Crimea on the same British warship that brought the Dowager Empress to safety. Later Julia kept house in Paris for Matilda, who maintained her ballet school there till the age of 92. Vova is Matilda and Andrei's son Prince Vladimir.

Item Date:  1937

Stock No:  17219      £375

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