Not ORTINO. ORTIPO!
I've been doing some research about that dog's name, too, and I think you're correct. I'll start a new thread about it when I have a little more information. ; )
No, the name is Ortino.
We have our own copy of Alexei's letter to Nicholas and this is the exact translation we got from one of Bob's people in Petersburg at the time:
Oct.26,1914, "...Today we are going to make another fire. At 6 p.m.
pp.22,23. Mother, sisters and I will go to the Palace's hospital.
Shot and Ortino are playing. The weather is
fine but there is very little snow. I stay out of doors
for a long time every day and go for drives in the
motor-car. I've begun reading stories by cossack Lu-
gansky..."
here are from Anastasia to Nicholas:
Oct.28, 1914, "...Ortino and Tatyana are running about the room now.
p.44. Mother is going to receive Maklakov at 9 a.m. and
Malama will come, too, which is very pleasant. I took
this picture of myself looking at the mirror. It was
very hard as my hands were trembling.
...I had 7 classes today and tomorrow I am going to
have 4 or 5... I am having a Russian class now and
Pyotr Alexeyevich is reading Turguenev's "The Hunter's
Notes" to us..."
Jan.30,1915, "...I taught Ortino to sit up and beg and today I've
p.58. taught her to give her paw and now she can do it. She
is so sweet..."
March 7, "...I'm so grateful to you that you allowed us to use
1915,p.61. your bath. We bathed there yesterday. It was such fun!
I was the first to go. There was much water. I was able
to swim around the bath and then jumped down from its
sides. It was terrific! Then Maria and I played in the
water for some time but, unfortunately,I had to get out
soon. Ortino was running about all the time and barking.
After that Olga and Tatyana bathes and also enjoyed
themselves!... Mother has already got in her room the
flowers which you like. You know those blue flowers
which grow in front of Grandmother's windows. They have
just opened. Tomorrow is Sunday. It's so good not to
have lessons when you can lie about in bed longer than
usual... All of us are kissing you including Ortino
who is running about here like a mad dog... She is
such a dear..."
Apr.7,1915, "...We have just finished dinner. Mother is lying and
p.64. sisters are sitting nearby. Tatyana is out, of course,
as usual. Shvybzik and Ortino are lying in Mother's bed
and sleeping. They are such darlings..."
