Jo Vickery, Sotheby's senior director, said, "It was extremely exciting and I'd never seen anything like it. We got a call to say the collection had arrives in pillowcases down in our basement, we went down and were opening the pillowcases and we just couldn't believe what we were seeing. I think everyone dreams of rediscovering some antiques or treasures that have been hidden, it's a kind of primeval thing, but there they were, and it was a real situation, and when you thought about the fact that they'd been hidden in the pillow cases for 90 years it brought history full circle. It was very exciting."

Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna fled St Petersburg in March 1917, as hostility was growing towards the Imperial family in revolutionary Russia.

Her late husband's precious collection of cigarette cases and cufflinks was bundled into pillowcases by a friend of the duchess, who left them in the care of the Swedish legation in Petrograd in November 1918.

They remained in the care of the Swedish Foreign Office ever since -- safe but forgotten until they were discovered in Stockholm in January 2009.

Alongside the high-profile Faberge pieces are cufflinks that could be sold for as little as 80 pounds. Some are personal mementos of special dates like weddings and anniversaries, others contain references to favorite hobbies.

Sotheby's auction will take place on November the 30th.

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