Alexandra's mezzanine nook...

[Sarushka]

This is the New Study in 1944, presumably following the German occupation. It looks to me like the marble pillars were also there at that time:

[Reco]

New photo

[Michael HR]

The desk looks a lot like the one that was also used in the working study. I assume the tsar have two of a kind? Or have they moved the desk from one study to another?

[Douglas]

I agree with Robert.  I seriously doubt that the Empress would have spent much time lurking upstairs evesdropping on her husbands' conversations with officials.  She was far more likely to spend time with her beloved children and close friends.

Also, both original and reconstructed short upper marble pillars are faux.  They may be either scaglioa or a painted faux finish.  Hard to tell from a photo.

I have a picture of it somewhere, but can't find it at the moment. You might ask Helen A. I will keep looking though.  Although I rather doubt that Alexandra spent much time  listening in on Nichaolas' meetings. Sounds more like the Dowager Empreess of China- Tsu Chi

[Joanna]

A similar view of Alexandra's mezzanine in the Maple room:

The upper part of the mezzanine in the Maple room had "many toys and a table with an elaborate jig-saw puzzle...There was also a glazed pottery pig from a shop in North Audley Street which occupied an empty fireplace".

Joanna

[halen]

I agree with Robert.  I seriously doubt that the Empress would have spent much time lurking upstairs evesdropping on her husbands' conversations with officials.  She was far more likely to spend time with her beloved children and close friends.

Also, both original and reconstructed short upper marble pillars are faux.  They may be either scaglioa or a painted faux finish.  Hard to tell from a photo.

I have a picture of it somewhere, but can't find it at the moment. You might ask Helen A. I will keep looking though.  Although I rather doubt that Alexandra spent much time  listening in on Nichaolas' meetings. Sounds more like the Dowager Empreess of China- Tsu Chi

I was reading old posts last night (I need a life) and on the Alexandra threads, the FA pointed out that the Empress listening in on conferences and meetings is a myth.

I never thought to look in the Alexandra threads for that information, so I thank everyone who took the time to respond to my post. I quite enjoy the photos and the explanations of how the mezzanine is laid out.

Louise

[EmmyLee]

Here's another one:

[BobAtchison]

The marble columns are real.  They came from Austria and cost a fortune to move from there via the Baltic and St. Petersburg Harbor.  I have 60 pages of receipts for the work and everything bought for the entire remodeling project.  These columns went way over budget once they arrived 4,000 rubles had to be spent over budget to modify them and install them.  I have spent a lot of times up close with these columns, they are wonderful to feel.  Everybody thinks they are plaster until you touch them. They are very cold to the touch.  They are original and in excellent shape. Some if the bronze fittings are still in place around the bases.  I have close-up pictures.  Nicholas kept all his photo albums on the ledge up here, neatly lines up and stacked, all in order.  Metzler used a lot of Tiffany - yes real Tiffany - in Nicholas's and Alexandra's two formal rooms.  These were two incredible spaces.  Now that new management will be coming in we won't have to worry about Nicholas's New Study being ripped out.  That was one of Sautov's objectives in his proposal for the palace to be restored to the time of Nicholas I, hopefully now that he is gone the danger is gone as well.

[BobAtchison]

Sarusha:  I have a huge 8 x 10 of that german picture of the fireplace.  I have 7 or so huge pictures of this room after the war.  You have all seen my Maple Room picture from after the war.  These refute the stories that the Imperial Rooms were destroyed during the war.  Wrecked yes, but certainly not destroyed.  Stalin and his henchmen destroyed the personal rooms of Nicholas and Alexandra after the war. 

[BobAtchison]

Nicholas had 3 big Tiffany lamps 665 rubles each on the mezzaine level of the New Study.  There were 3 smaller ones that cost 475 rubles each and 5 big Tiffany sconces with 25 tulip-shaped lampshades in the New Study - these cost 485 rubles each.  You can see these in pictures.  The transoms were also Tiffany glass.

[Robert_Hall]

Yummy. Are these still in place?  When I was there, access to the mexx. was denied,  so I could not go up to see what was still there.

[Sarushka]

Sarusha:  I have a huge 8 x 10 of that german picture of the fireplace.  I have 7 or so huge pictures of this room after the war.  You have all seen my Maple Room picture from after the war.  These refute the stories that the Imperial Rooms were destroyed during the war.  Wrecked yes, but certainly not destroyed.  Stalin and his henchmen destroyed the personal rooms of Nicholas and Alexandra after the war. 

Actually, aside from that photo of the fireplace and one of a parade hall, all my post-war pictures of the palace are exteriors. Have you posted yours anywhere on the main APTM site?

[BobAtchison]

I am not sure were the Tiffany lamps went.  I'll have to check and see if Kuchumov marked where are today.  Things from the Maple Room and the New Study went to various places after the war.  Kuchumov tried to keep everything at Pavlovsk without success.  After the war they would not have had much interest in Tiffany or Art Nouveau art glass. I think the Art glass light fixtures from under the balcony in the Maple Room are at the Hermitage.

[Michael HR]

I assume when the time comes things can make their way back to the AP so they are were they belong. The winter Palace has loads of it own stuff at Pavlosk is now restored.

[Robert_Hall]

That would be a long way off, Michael HR. The Winter Palace-Hermitage is a museum,  the repository of the Russian national heritage of art. No Imperial apartments have been restored at all.  No one knows what direction the AP  will take, when it comes to refurbishment. Right now, the priority is to make the place stable and waterproof.