45 
Ply DAR: 
AN IMPERIAL CORBEILLE. 
rom time immemorial, flowers have been chosen as the most discreet 
medium, the best appropriated to express the most delicate, tender 
and elevated sentiments. If you desire to give anyone you love a token 
of respect and affection, the choicest and most suitable present would always 
be a corbeille of flowers, or even a bouquet. 
Under such circumstances, no flowers can be compared to Orchids, which 
are unrivalled in elegance, variety of form, also in delicacy of colour, diversity 
and charming contrast of tints. For many years, they have been considered 
the queens of fashion; there is no grand féte, banquet or royal reception, 
where they do not figure in the place of honour, and all Orchidists, to whom 
we specially address ourselves, will readily admit we are only rendering justice 
to them. 
These charming flowers have once more had the opportunity of establishing 
their incontestable superiority at the Fétes, henceforth historical, given recently 
at Moscow for the Coronation of the Tsar and ‘Tsaritsa. 
The annexed photogravure shows the superb corbeille of Orchids, pre- 
sented on the 6" of last May at the Petrovsky Palace, by a most distinguished 
Russian amateur, M. Joun Scuuiz, to Her Imperial Majesty ALExaNDRA FEopo- 
RowNA, the young Tsaritsa of all the Russias, on her arrival at Moscow to be 
crowned Empress. 
We know that in similar circumstances, no present can be accepted by 
russian sovereigns, except the traditional tray with bread and salt. It would thus 
have been difficult to find a more delicate manner than that chosen by M. Jounn 
Scuutz, to present his respectful homage to his Sovereign, in stripping his hot- 
houses of all their jewels in order to present them to Her Majesty. 
The Corbeille, a veritable masterpiece of silver workmanship, which was 
one of the most remarkable ornaments in the Exhibition of Nijni-Novgorod, is 
an. English crystal vase mounted in massive silver, with two silver handles, 
the whole supported on four deer’s feet. The perfection and solidity of the 
work, executed by the cleverest artists, make it a work of the highest artistic 
value. 
The height of the corbeille was 1°30, by ogo in width. Our engraving, which 
is the exact and faithful reproduction of the photography of this magnificent 
corbeille, gives but a feeble idea of the elegance and beauty, as also of the 
originality of this avalanche of flowers, chosen from one of the first collections 
in Russia. 
20 
Us 
cvs 
