Messages

46

Russian Noble Families / Nadezhda Dmitrievna Wonlar-Larsky

« on: April 13, 2005, 06:56:39 PM »

Well, if anyone can help i would love to know more of Nadezhda´s life in London in the 1920s and afterwards. She was born Nadezhda D. Nabokova (aunt to the famous writer) and wrote her memoirs "The Russia that i loved".

Any information about her daughter Sophie´s life would be very much appreciated as well!

Thanks,

Antonio.

47

Tsarskoe Selo Palaces / Re: The Amber Room of the Catherine Palace

« on: April 06, 2005, 02:22:57 PM »

Hello everybody,

Last time i saw the room, that was in 2003, the restoration was not finished. I mean that even if the amber panels are all done and put in place, i missed the sconces that used to be in the middle of each of the long narrow mirrors. I hope you understand what i mean.

Does anyone know if they have been restored since 2003?

Antonio.

48

The Imperial Family / Re: Olga and Tatiana at Court Events

« on: April 05, 2005, 06:07:21 PM »

I would like to more about the 1914 event you are speaking of, Antonio. I would also like to find a copy of "No Time to Grieve".
Is this an out of print, older book?

Hello Pasha!

I bought my copy through bookfinder.com. It´s not too old, and i think i copy should not be either difficult or expensive. Mine is in near fine condition and was quite cheap indeed. The authoress was the daughter of the last Russian ambassador in Paris before the revolution.
Best luck!

Antonio.

49

The Imperial Family / Re: Olga and Tatiana at Court Events

« on: April 05, 2005, 06:57:50 AM »

Hello all,

We could perhaps be speaking about different balls. The one i´m speaking about (same as Lanie, i think), took place in January 1914 at the Anichkov Palace. That´s for sure.

50

The Imperial Family / Re: Olga and Tatiana at Court Events

« on: April 04, 2005, 09:02:38 PM »

Hello Lanie!

Well, in fact, after a moment of tension due to what you said(they were pretty strangers to society), they were finally asked to dance and really enjoyed the ball. Check No Time to Grieve, by Helene Iswolsky, page 85. The whole scene is beautifully described.

51

The Imperial Family / Re: Olga and Tatiana at Court Events

« on: April 04, 2005, 07:47:41 PM »

Hello all,

Both Olga and Tatiana attended a ball given by the Dowager Empress at the Anichkov Palace. It was, i´d swear, in January 1914.

Merial Buchanan recalled too a kind of ball or reception given by the Grand Duchess Vladimir in wich Olga and Tatiana were present.

52

The Final Chapter / Re: Where is it ??

« on: March 27, 2005, 09:18:32 AM »

Hello all,

I found a better image of the room prior the demolition. I´m also of the opinion that it is the dinning room and the door was blocked. The cornice, mirror and shape of the place formerly occupied by the fireplace are so similar.

Also, and a little off this topic, does anyone know what happened to the suit of furniture of this room?. I suppose they would preserve it....

53

Tsarskoe Selo Town / Re: Question about the residents of Tsarskoe Selo

« on: March 02, 2005, 08:51:29 PM »

Hi Helen,

I´ll try to give you the info as best as i can, for i have it in French language:

In 1910 the population was as follows:

2897       were from the nobility

315         belonged to the clergy

891         were "distinguished bourgeois"

237         were merchants

2877       were bourgeois

14758     were peasants

39           were "colons"

6790       were from the troups

1655       were retired militars and their families

222         were foreigners

200         were people that couln´t be included in any of
the   given categories.

The total population was 30881.

Hope this will be helpful, and found the correct english words...

Antonio.

54

Palaces in St. Petersburg / Re: Private rooms of the Winter Palace

« on: February 27, 2005, 10:39:09 AM »

Hello Bolin,

There was a wonderful Winter Garden relatively near to the White Dinning room. It was off the Portrait Gallery that ran behind the Neva Suit of Parade Halls. This Winter Garden looked on to the main courtyard. Today, there´s no trace left of its decoration. Last time i visited the museum there were icons and religious objects exhibited in that room.

Here you have a watercolor depicting that Winter Garden. Hope you like it:



Antonio

55

Imperial Russian Antiques / Re: The Empress's Eggs

« on: February 16, 2005, 08:46:47 PM »

That would be really wonderful Strom(perhaps too much so for becoming real...). As far as the Alexander Palace is concerned, it would not only be the pleasure of admiring these pieces in the place they belong to, but i think that the eggs would also add a lot of visitors(and money) to the palace...

56

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: Great Private Collections of Imperial Russia

« on: December 27, 2004, 08:18:48 PM »

Hi Adele!

Thanks so much for your kind words

Last time i tried to give advice to someone was about a miniature for sale on ebay. The seller said it was the Empress, but it was cristal clear that the lady was Ella. I wrote to him and got no answer. Of course, he/she corrected the description, adding  that "after searching on the web" he had come to that conclusion!

So no more time to waste....

Best wishes to you Adele!!

57

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: Great Private Collections of Imperial Russia

« on: December 25, 2004, 10:22:10 PM »

Hi Adele and Arturo

This book seemed wonderful but i must say i was disapointed when finally received it. The photos are lovely but i found there were too many chapters and pretty little information about each collector. I hoped it would be a deeper study of this subject. The author even comitted some mistakes when writting about Polovtsov dacha and it he refers to Polotsov senior instead of his son...

58

Books about the Romanovs and Imperial Russia / Re: Almanach de St Petersbourg

« on: November 14, 2004, 07:17:52 PM »

Hi Joanna!

You really are the Sherlock Holmes of the web

It seems a wonderful book, for it will be on sale. It´s been published this very year. I tried also to find those names i was interested on but have no luck....

Thanks for such a wonderful find!

59

The Myth and Legends of Survivors / Re: Investigación Anastasia. Argentina

« on: November 14, 2004, 01:58:34 PM »

Existe la posibilidad de que la princesa Anastasia haya pasado el resto de sus días refugiada en el norte Argentino, no diré en que lugar hasta no estar seguro de la hipótesis. Inclusive conocemos el lugar donde estan enterrados sus restos, los cuales se podrían inclusive analizar. Testimonios de personas del lugar aseguran que esta joven rusa poseía gran cantidad de joyas fabulosas y vivía en completo estado de reclusión u ocultamiento. Me gustaría conectarme con personas dispuestas a investigar en conjunto el caso.

For those who don´t speak spanish i will try and translate this post:

"There´s a possibility that princess Anastasia spent the rest of her life as a refugee in the north of Argentina, i won´t tell the place until i am sure of this statement. We even know the place where she was buried and her remains could be tested. Witnesses tell convincedly that this young russian girl owned a big amount of fabulous jewells and lived in complete seclussion and hidding. I would like to conect with people willing to investigate this whole case"

60

The Imperial Family / Re: Dolls, wax figures, busts etc of NAOTMAA

« on: November 08, 2004, 06:59:46 AM »

Antonio, how did you find out so much interesting information about OTMA's dolls? Is there a doll book (or books) that mention the grand duchesses' collection?

And what happened to the collection? I know it was still intact in the 1920s, but wasn't it dispersed later?

Is that enough questions for you? *Sorry* I'm just completely fascinated by this topic.

Hello Elisabeth,

You can find good information on this subject in the catalogue of the Santa Fe exhibition "Nicholas and Alexandra: At home with the last Tsars and his family".

Also, there´s a wonderful catalogue from an exhibition held in Moscow called "Na Detskoi Polovine" (At the children´s wing" that have a lot of info of this kind( although it is in russian).

This catalogue you could find in Gilbert´s Royal books web page. It´s expensive but absolutely worth of it.