Description

Exceptional Russian/Ukrainian silver notepad by the 1st Kiev Artel, Belonged to Auguste Rollier (1 October 1874 - 30 October 1954), a Swiss physician best known for his research on heliotherapy. 1st Kiev artel was the most high quality silver maker in Kiev, it was located at the same address as Faberge firm and its employees were also employees of Faberge. The 2 companies were very tightly related, if not as one sole business. The iconography of the Silver is also extremely interesting, it depicts peasants exiting the Kremlin with the news of the election of a new Tzar - Mikhail Romanov, after the Zemsky Sobor of 1613. This notepad was given by a Russian patient - Evgeny Vasilieff in 1913 to Dr. Rollier during the festivities dedicated to 300 years of the reign of the Romanovs. Missing one bolt, and a head to the second bolt, otherwise good condition. Very heavy silver lid, gross weight of the notepad - 336 grams. History Rollier was born at Saint-Aubin, Fribourg. He was educated at Zurich and Berne Universities and graduated in medicine in 1898.He worked under Emil Theodor Kocher for four years. In 1903, Rollier opened his Institute of Heliotherapy in Leysin.He advocated fresh air, physical exercise, rest and sunshine to treat his patients. He became known for his treatment of skeletal tuberculosis by heliotherapy (light therapy). He combined sunbathing with climatic treatment by cold air and high altitude.After World War I, it was reported that 1746 of 2167 patients had recovered their health under his care. Rollier was influenced by the research of Niels Ryberg Finsen and established sunbathing clinics in the Swiss Alps. R. A. Hobday noted that "Rollier practised sunlight therapy at Leysin for over forty years and had thirty-six clinics with a total of more than 1,000 beds."[5] After antimicrobial therapy became available, heliotherapy for tuberculosis was no longer practiced.[6] Rollier was elected an honorary member of the American Clinical and Climatological Association in 1923.