Albert Stopford

Albert Henry Stopford (16 May 1860 – 10 February 1939), known as Bertie Stopford, was a British antiques and art dealer specialising in Fabergé and Cartier and diplomatic courier; he was an intimate of the Romanovs. He rescued the jewels of Grand Duchess Vladimir the Elder during the Russian Revolution. Life Stopford's father, the Reverend Frederick Manners Stopford, was a grandson of the 3rd Earl of Courtown. He had been a student in arts, but was a rector between 1861 and 1912 at Titchmarsh, Northamptonshire. He had connections to Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V. Stopford was able to use these connections to become a high class antique dealer. In November 1881 Stopford lived in Belgravia. Around 1900 he was "the celebrated leader of cotillions" in London. In January 1901 he lived in Taormina, Sicily a tolerant place that also attracted Oscar Wilde, and Wilhelm von Gloeden. In 1909 Stopford met with Felix Yussupov, who showed him Arkhangelskoye Palace near Moscow. In May 1913 he was in Paris; and at some time in Salsomaggiore Terme; in March 1914 in St. Petersburg; in October 1914 in Ypres, Belgium.