Unseen jewelry in an exhibition at the National Museum of Military History on the occasion of its 106th anniversary

The exhibition “The Known Stranger” will be opened on June 30 (Thursday) at 5.30 pm at the National Museum of Military History at 92, Cherkovna Street in Sofia. On the occasion of its 106th anniversary, the Museum presents an unseen and very curious part of its million fund – the collection of valuable jewelry, most of which will be shown to the public for the first time.
Among the curious exhibits are lapel pins, cufflinks and collar buttons, watches, rings, snuff boxes, decorations and Faberge eggs. Exquisitely crafted from precious metals and precious stones such as platinum, gold, silver, diamonds, rubies and sapphires, they bear the mark of universal values and elegance that has outlived the time.

The exhibition presents works of jewelry from over 25 of the most prominent European workshops from the late 19th and early 20th c., such as Ludwig Wrana and Ernst Paltscho (Austria-Hungary), Peter Rath and Willy Ganssen Coburg (Germany), Bvlgari and Settepassi (Italy), Faberge and Bolin (Russia), Cartier and Hermes (France), etc. The exhibition will also feature jewelry watches of famous Swiss, German and French brands. A little-known fact is that some of these jewelers made Bulgarian medals and orders. The Order of St Alexander, the highest order of the Principality of Bulgaria, made by C.F. Rothe and G.A. Sheid (Austria), and Kretly (France), will be also presented.

Visitors will be immersed in the era of the second half of the 19th and early 20th century with musical moments from the repertoire of the National Musical Theater and selected footage from the Bulgarian National Film Archive.