NICHOLAS II: (1868-1918) Emperor of Russia 1894-1917. A very fine, unusual dark fountain pen ink signature ('Nicolas II, Empereur de toutes les Russies') on an 8vo page removed from an album, dated Peterhof [Palace, Saint Petersburg], 25th August 1904 in his hand. Examples of the Tsar's signature in which he declares himself Emperor of all Russia are extremely rare and desirable. A few minor, light stains caused by ink from another page of the album, otherwise about EX The Tsar's signature is dated just under two weeks after the birth of Alexei Nikolaevich (1904-1918) on 12th August 1904. The last Tsarevich of Russia, Alexei was the youngest child and only son of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. Born with haemophilia, Alexei's parents attempted to treat the condition with the methods of the peasant faith healer Grigori Rasputin. Provenance: The present page was removed from the personal album of Baron Robert Stuker (1863-1940) Swiss historian, interpreter, diplomat and educator, a language specialist who was appointed tutor at the Greek Royal Court under King George I. Stuker was later appointed as Royal Chamberlain, Court Librarian and Personal Secretary to the King. Stuker accompanied members of the Greek Royal family on trips, took on sensitive diplomatic missions and became the King's advisor. Following his service with the Greek Royal family, Pope Pius XI appointed the Reformed Protestant Stuker as master of ceremonies and interpreter at the Vatican in 1924, posts he was to hold until 1935. In later years the album was added to whilst in the custody of Jurg Stuker (1914-1988) Swiss antiquarian bookseller and founder of the Stuker auction house in Bern, stepson of Robert Stuker.