Michel Ephrussi
Encyclopedia
Michel Ephrussi was a Russia
n-born French
banker who also bred and raced Thoroughbred
s.
A member of the Russian-Jewish Ephrussi family
, Michel was born in the free port
of Odessa
where his father founded the Ephrussi Bank and was involved in the exporting of wheat
. Trained in the banking business, Michel Ephrussi's elder half-brother, Ignaz, was sent to Vienna
to open the Ephrussi & Co. bank while Michel and his younger brother Maurice
were sent to open a branch in Paris
, France
.
On December 23, 1872, in Paris, Michel Ephrussi married Belgian
-born Amélie Wilhelmine Liliane Beer, a niece of composer Jacob Liebmann Beer
. The couple had three children and made their home at 81 rue de Monceau in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
Michel Ephrussi was a close business associate of the Rothschilds in Paris, and his brother Maurice married Béatrice de Rothschild
. In 1900, Michel Ephrussi became embrolied in a conflict over possibly anti-semitic remarks made by the Count Guy de Lubersac towards Robert de Rothschild and on April 4, 1900 Ephrussia and the Count fought a duel with swords on Île de la Jatte
in the Seine River
at Neuilly
in which Ephrussi was wounded in the chest but soon recovered. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D05E0DA1339E733A25750C0A9629C946197D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C06E6D91339E733A25756C0A9629C946197D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9503E6D8133BE733A25752C2A9679C946097D6CF
Beyond banking, Michel Ephrussi had other investments including the Hôtel Pompadour at Fontainebleau http://www.cosmovisions.com/monuFontainebleau.htm and was an investor in Guapo Trinidad Oil Co. Ltd. A supporter of the fledgling aviation
industry, Michel Ephrussi provided funding for a prize in his name at the 1910 Rheims Aviation Meeting. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1910/1910%20-%200552.html
. Michel notably owned Finasseur
, winner of the 1905 Grand Prix de Paris
, at the time France's most prestigious race. Other wins by Michel Ephrussi's horses include:
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-born French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
banker who also bred and raced Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s.
A member of the Russian-Jewish Ephrussi family
Ephrussi family
The Ephrussi family were a Jewish banking and oil dynasty who originated in Odessa, Ukraine. The family were elevated to the nobility by the Habsburg emperor. The family controlled large-scale oil resources in the Crimea and the Caucasus. They had made their initial fortune controlling grain...
, Michel was born in the free port
Free port
A free port or free zone , sometimes also called a bonded area is a port, port area or other area with relaxed jurisdiction with respect to the country of location...
of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
where his father founded the Ephrussi Bank and was involved in the exporting of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
. Trained in the banking business, Michel Ephrussi's elder half-brother, Ignaz, was sent to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to open the Ephrussi & Co. bank while Michel and his younger brother Maurice
Maurice
Maurice is a given name used as a name or surname. It originates as a French name derived from the Roman Mauritius and was subsequently used in English speaking countries as well. It is of Latin origin, meaning "dark-skinned, Moorish", and might refer to:...
were sent to open a branch in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
On December 23, 1872, in Paris, Michel Ephrussi married Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
-born Amélie Wilhelmine Liliane Beer, a niece of composer Jacob Liebmann Beer
Giacomo Meyerbeer
Giacomo Meyerbeer was a noted German opera composer, and the first great exponent of "grand opera." At his peak in the 1830s and 1840s, he was the most famous and successful composer of opera in Europe, yet he is rarely performed today.-Early years:He was born to a Jewish family in Tasdorf , near...
. The couple had three children and made their home at 81 rue de Monceau in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
Michel Ephrussi was a close business associate of the Rothschilds in Paris, and his brother Maurice married Béatrice de Rothschild
Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild
Charlotte Béatrice de Rothschild was a French socialite, art collector, and a member of the prominent Rothschild banking family of France.- Biography :...
. In 1900, Michel Ephrussi became embrolied in a conflict over possibly anti-semitic remarks made by the Count Guy de Lubersac towards Robert de Rothschild and on April 4, 1900 Ephrussia and the Count fought a duel with swords on Île de la Jatte
Île de la Jatte
The Île de la Grande Jatte is an island in the River Seine, situated at the very gates of Paris, in the communes of Neuilly-sur-Seine and Levallois, Hauts-de-Seine. It is 7 km distant from the towers of Notre Dame and 3 km from the Etoile. It has about 4,000 inhabitants and is nearly...
in the Seine River
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
at Neuilly
Neuilly-sur-Seine
Neuilly-sur-Seine is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Although Neuilly is technically a suburb of Paris, it is immediately adjacent to the city and directly extends it. The area is composed of mostly wealthy, select residential...
in which Ephrussi was wounded in the chest but soon recovered. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D05E0DA1339E733A25750C0A9629C946197D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9C06E6D91339E733A25756C0A9629C946197D6CF http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9503E6D8133BE733A25752C2A9679C946097D6CF
Beyond banking, Michel Ephrussi had other investments including the Hôtel Pompadour at Fontainebleau http://www.cosmovisions.com/monuFontainebleau.htm and was an investor in Guapo Trinidad Oil Co. Ltd. A supporter of the fledgling aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
industry, Michel Ephrussi provided funding for a prize in his name at the 1910 Rheims Aviation Meeting. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1910/1910%20-%200552.html
Thoroughbred racing
Michel Ephrussi and his brother Maurice were both involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. Michel notably owned Finasseur
Finasseur
Finasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
, winner of the 1905 Grand Prix de Paris
Grand Prix de Paris
The Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
, at the time France's most prestigious race. Other wins by Michel Ephrussi's horses include:
- Grand Prix de Bruxelles - (1) - FinasseurFinasseurFinasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
(1905) - Grand Prix de DeauvilleGrand Prix de DeauvilleThe Grand Prix de Deauville is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 2,500 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:The race was first run on August 6, 1866, and it was...
- (3) - Polyeucte (1886), Naviculaire (1892) Biniou (1909) - Grand Prix de ParisGrand Prix de ParisThe Grand Prix de Paris is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:...
- (1) - FinasseurFinasseurFinasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
(1905) - Prix du President de la RepubliqueGrand Prix de Saint-CloudThe Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,400 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June.-History:...
- (1) - FinasseurFinasseurFinasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
(1905) - La Coupe de Maisons-LaffitteLa Coupe de Maisons-LaffitteLa Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:The event was established in 1906, and it...
- (1) - Ben (1907) - Poule d'Essai des PoulainsPoule d'Essai des PoulainsThe Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts...
- (2) - Gamin (1886) Beaujolais (1894) - Poule d'Essai des PoulichesPoule d'Essai des PoulichesThe Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, sometimes referred to as the French 1,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies...
- (2) - Barberine (1885) Primrose (1891) - Prix ChaudenayPrix ChaudenayThe Prix Chaudenay is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October....
- (2) - Naviculaire (1891) et Fawn (1905) - Prix du Rond PointPrix Daniel WildensteinThe Prix Daniel Wildenstein is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.-History:The event was established in...
- (2) - Précy (1883) Lézard (1909) - Prix de DianePrix de DianeThe Prix de Diane, sometimes referred to as the French Oaks, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies...
- (3) - Barberine (1885), Bavarde (1887) Primrose (1891) - Prix des ChênesPrix des ChênesThe Prix des Chênes is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:...
- (1) - FinasseurFinasseurFinasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
(1904) - Prix du Jockey ClubPrix du Jockey ClubThe Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
- (1) - FinasseurFinasseurFinasseur was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who, at age three, won the two most prestigious races in France. He was bred by Edmond Blanc at his Haras de Jardy stud farm at Marnes-la-Coquette about sixteen kilometers west of central Paris and purchased for racing by Michel Ephrussi, a wealthy...
(1905) - Prix du Prince d'OrangePrix du Prince d'OrangeThe Prix du Prince d'Orange is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.-History:...
- (2) - Athos (1888) Biniou (1909) - Prix KergorlayPrix KergorlayThe Prix Kergorlay is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 3,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.-History:...
- (2) - Brisolier (1887) Boissière (1893) - Prix du NabobPrix NoaillesThe Prix Noailles is a Group 2 flat horse race in France which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.-History:...
- (2) - Gournay (1887), Primrose (1891) - Prix Royal-OakPrix Royal-OakThe Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.-History:The event was established in 1861, and it was initially...
- (3) - Gamin (1886), Bavarde (1887) Pourtant (1889)