Cigarette case owned by Capitaine de Frégate Stanislas Niewiarowski (b.1879), last commander of the Russian Imperial Yacht 'Standart', between 1895 and 1914.

Plain gold cigarette case engraved with narrow stripes, with rounded corners and a cabochon sapphire thumbpiece. The inside has a matt gold finish, and bands attached to each side to hold cigarettes. Marked inside in cyrillic lettering: 'KF' and 'FABERGE' and '56'.

The 'Standart' was built in Copenhagen by the firm of Burmeister-Wein in 1895, to the specifications of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and was named after Peter the Great's famous frigate. The imperial yacht, 420 feet in length, was at the time the largest private ship in the world, and was manned by a crew from the Russian Imperial Navy. She was used both for the pleasure of the imperial family and for formal occasions, such as the reception of European diplomats, and meetings with the German Kaiser, as well as many visits to the Cowes Week Regattas.

After the Russian Revolution, 'Standart' was renamed and served in the Soviet Navy, and after 1932 was renamed 'Marti' and used as a minelayer during World War II. After the war, she was refitted and converted to a training ship named 'Oka', eventually being scrapped in 1963.

The case was left to Lady Pauline F. Chapman by her first husband Lieutenant Colonel Dimitri de Lobel Niewiarowski, son of Stanislas. She presented it to the NMM in 1998, together with five porcelain plates from the 'Standart' (ZBA0808-0812) and had previously donated his orders and decorations in 1966 (MED2669-MED2684).

Stanislas Niewierowski made his career in the Imperial Russian Navy, and served in the Russo-Japanese War as a junior officer. His ship was torpedoed and he was taken prisoner in Japan. On his release he married Lilian Walford, whose father was English, and they lived in Petrograd with their two children. He held command of the 'Standart' for a number of years, and had a close personal relationship with the Russian royal family, but was in England at the outbreak of the Revolution.