This sumptuous cigarette case was a fortieth wedding anniversary present to King Edward VII from his sister-in-law, the Dowager Tsarina Marie Feodorovna. The sunburst design reflects the occasion, centring on the combined cipher of Edward and Alexandra on the front, and on the date of the anniversary – 10 March 1903 – on the back.  Both these details are set in diamonds.  By the nineteenth century, cigarettes were in widespread use and cases for them had become incredibly fashionable.  The British and Russian royal families frequently marked important events by exchanging such objects, and this vogue helped Fabergé's London branch to sell cigarette cases in their hundreds.  Almost all were suitable for daily use, and in 1948 King George VI was still said to give 'each one of them a turn'.