Basel: theft of a Tsar Alexandre 1er ring at the Historical Museum

A precious XIX ring^e century has disappeared from the windows of the Haus Zum Kirschgarten museum, one of the three exhibition sites of the Basel Historical Museum. It is a jewel having belonged to Alexandre I, Tsar of Russia from 1801 to 1825, which the latter would have offered to a Basel hostess during a visit in 1814. The theft was noted at the end of May, but the management of the establishment made the public case until Tuesday, after weeks of investigation which remained unsuccessful.

According to the museum press release, the ring – bearing the initials “MB” – was exposed in a showcase secured by an alarm system. He had joined the collections in 1950 and had a value above all historical and cultural. Despite the safety measures in place, the absence of the jewelry was only detected with delay. The police were alerted immediately after the discovery, and a criminal investigation is underway.

In agreement with the Basel-Ville public prosecutor, the institution has decided to make public theft in order to obtain information to find the jewelry. This was also reported in international databases of stolen cultural objects. The goal is to maximize the chances of finding this unique piece, explains the museum. After this flight, the Basel Historical Museum claims to analyze its internal procedures in depth and strengthen its safety devices, both physical and organic.