The watch shown was a gift to Ivan Bobevski from the Russian Emperor Nicholas II on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria. It is made of 14-karat gold, on the front cover is depicted in bas-relief the Russian state coat of arms.
Clock by Ivan Bobevski
Ivan Hadjinikolov Bobevski was born in Teteven in 1854 in the family of the wealthy merchant Nikola Hadjistoyanov Bobevski. Soon commercial affairs forced the family to move to Wallachia, and their home in Craiova became a refuge for many Bulgarian hush. Here, Ivan Bobevski established connections with a number of revolutionaries, including Vasil Levski, Hristo Botev, Lyuben Karavelov, Philip Totyu, and others. In the spring of 1877, he enlisted in the Bulgarian militia and participated in the battles at Kazanlak, Stara Zagora and Shipka, for which he was awarded the George Cross for bravery. Probably few people know that Ivan Bobevski is depicted on the "Tsar Osvoboditel" monument in Sofia by the sculptor Arnaldo Dzoki. His figure stands behind those of gen. Gurko and Count Ignatiev. After the Liberation, Bobevski was an active participant in public life, he was the chairman of the advocacy society in Sofia, the deputy mayor of the capital and a member of parliament.
The watch shown was a gift to Ivan Bobevski from the Russian Emperor Nicholas II on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria. It is made of 14-carat gold, on the front cover is depicted in bas-relief the Russian state coat of arms, and on the back is engraved the monogram of Emperor Nicholas II, accompanied by an inscription in Russian: "To the soldier Ivan Bobevski". The watch was made in the factory of Pavel Bure in Russia, whose production is distinguished by first-class quality and a high degree of jewelry, which is why in 1899 Pavel Bure was chosen as the official supplier of the Russian Imperial Court. Prize watches of this type were presented by the emperor to high civil servants, generals and officers for special merit.
