Robert  de Rustafjaell  ( 10.12.1859  -  10.02.1943 )

Robert de Rustafjaell carried several different names throughout his life. He was born in Russia (St-Petersbourg; he later claimed to have been born in England, in 1875 and in 1876), the son of Nicholas Classen Smed and Maria Tamara Orbeliani. Owner of a large collection of antiquities, he was first known as Robert Fawcus-Smith, and adopted the Rustafjaell name in 1892, and officiall so in 1894. He lived in Egypt in the early 20th century and owned an antiquities shop in Luxor, opened in 1909; he was already known at the time for selling fakes. He emigrated to the USA in 1914; he was later known as Prince Roman Orbeliani. Many predynastic artefacts in his collection are of dubious authenticity, if not outright forged pieces. His collection was sold on different auctions:

Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, December 19-21, 1906: Catalogue of the Collection of Egyptian Antiquities formed in Egypt by R. de Rustafjaell, Esq., Queen's Gate, S.W. ;

Sotheby, Wilkinson& Hodge, January 20-24, 1913: Catalogue of the remaining part of the valuable collection of Egyptian antiquities formed by Robert de Rustafjaell, Esq. (Author of "The Light of Egypt.") ;

Anderson Galleries, New York, November 29 to December 1, 1915.