Revolver of Prince Felix Yusupov

This revolver, now resting in my hands, is not merely an antique object - it is a genuine fragment of imperial Russian history. It belonged to Prince Felix Yusupov, the man who orchestrated the assassination of Grigori Rasputin and spent the rest of his life in exile in Paris, caught between decadent luxury and the constant fear of revenge.
The weapon, a European six-shot revolver with a textured black grip and compact cylinder, was kept by the prince in his Paris residence on rue Pierre-Guérin. It was not a ceremonial piece, but a tool of personal defense, tucked away in a desk drawer or beneath a pillow, ready to be drawn in case of danger.
The metal, now rusted, speaks of sleepless nights, muffled footsteps in corridors, burned letters, and suspicious glances. After Rasputin's murder, Yusupov knew he was a target. He trusted neither monarchists nor revolutionaries. Even in the French capital, surrounded by velvet and stucco, he never parted from his revolver.
Today, this object stands as a silent witness to a lost era.
It is not just a weapon—it is the tangible memory of a man who lived between power and fear, between glory and exile. Holding it is like grasping a fragment of that imperial Russia that will never return.
Doktor Lazarus Archaeologist, Historian, Collector, Independent Curator