Removal of thread "The Empress Alexandra Fights Back"

[Alixz]

Griff - goes to show what those teachers knew, eh?  (Just kidding, teachers!  : )  )

I wonder when I hear things like this because when I was 11, my parents were told that I was a poor student in spelling and math.  Well I am still a poor student in spelling (thank someone for spell check) and I spent 15 years of my life working preparing income tax for others (thank someone else for calculators and then computers).  Had I followed my teachers advice, I would never have ended up where I did.  They just about "wrote me off" at age 11!!

But I had always loved to read and I discovered Olga Alexandrovna (The Last Grand Duchess by Ian Vorres) when I was 14.

[historyfan]

Going off topic, I know and I apologize, but I have to tell the story my parents like to rehash from time to time - about when I was in kindergarten (age 5) and my teacher told my mother that there must be something wrong with me because I preferred playing by myself to playing with other kids. 

Ha - I still prefer being by myself! 

I discovered WWII (outside of my grandfather's stories) when I was 14.  I came late to the Russian party, only reading my first "Romanov" book two or three years ago, and now that I think about it, I wonder if the history teacher I had in grade 11 had something to do with that.  He put the Romanovs in context with WWI and the revolution, and was quite disparaging towards them.  Didn't foster an interest at that point, certainly.

[Alixz]

Along with Griffh, I wonder if being around the ages of 12 to 14 has something to do with interest in history or just history in particular.  Perhaps we are grown enough and aware enough of life around us by that point to be interested in how and why we got here.

I my case, though, it wasn't just finding the book in the library, it was because the trial of Anna Anderson was big news when I was 14 ( I know this gives away my age) and my history teacher told us all about it in class.  It hadn't become history at that point, but was current events!

One thing led to another and I was immersed in the Romanovs.  How I wish I had kept some of the Life magazine articles, but who knew?

Years later, while working as a teller (there is that math skill again) in a bank in my home town, I met a man who had been a Captain in the Tsar's Navy.  He was moving from CT to Arizona to be with his son and offered to sell me his baby grand piano!  I had no room for one, so I didn't buy it and probably couldn't afford it I had the room.  However for years after, I regretted not getting his forwarding address.  The man was a mechanical genius.  He could draw schematics on my desk upside down to himself and upside right to me!

I tried for many years to find him through the Russian Imperial Navy outside of Russia.  They met once a year in New York City, but I never found him again.

[Alixz]

I found the name of the group.

Association of Former Russian Imperial Navy Officers in USA.

Their memorabilia was moved to a repository in Lakewood (not Lakehurst) New Jersey and according to my source most of the material was sent back to Russia after the end of the Soviet Union.

[Alixz]

I also found this interesting link to a story about an Imperial Russian Pilot.  Part of the article is annotated by Igor Sikorsky.


http://www.uscg.mil/history/people/UtgoffVictor1930Obit.pdf

[griffh]

Wow what a great conversation!!! 

It is really wonderful to hear how all our lives and interests have developed in spite of the adversities we faced in school, etc. 

I do feel so badly that I let all my Russian emigre friendships slip away in NYC.  Most of my friends attended the annual Romanov Ball atop the Sherry Netherlands on 5 Ave and 59th street; the ground floor of which houses the famous and fabulous La Vieille Russe. 

I could never quite get up the courage to go inside the La Vieille Russe but the window displays facing both 5th Ave. and 59th Street were like looking at a Museum filled with treasures from Atlantis.  Well actually I did go inside the shop years later during the time that my mother renewed her family traditon of shopping for Christmas in NYC and ending the our shopping spree with tea in the Palm Court of the Plaza where her parents had danced in the afternoons when the Palm Court first opened.  As my grandparents did the season in NYC every year, tea at the Palm Court became their family tradition.  I guess I got up my courage to go into La Vieille Russe from our Christmas teas at the Plaza which was right across 5 Ave from the Sherry Netherlands.  Anyway, to make a long story short, I entered the door of the shop and because of my inability to curb my enthusiasm over all things Russia, upon seeing a photo of Queen Marie's youngest sister in a Faberge enameled frame, I burst out, "Oh My Lord, It is Baby Bee!!"  I must have sounded like the Duchess of Coburg stunned to see a picture of her daughter in a shop in NYC!!! 

I am not sure what the shop owners thought, but I did not wait to find out as I fled the shop feeling I had made a total fool out of myself.  It is possible that the shop owners didn't think anything about it, except to be relieved that an hysterical stranger had left their elegant establishment. 

I am sure that many of the beautiful objects I saw years ago in those gorgeous La Vieille Russe windows have made their way back home, hopefully, and I love the fact that late Imperial period is being reconnected to Russia's current history and that the period is no longer seen as something lost in the long distant past. 

Just to say that one of the things that I continue to cherish about AP forum is it has brought me into contact with so many fascinating and warm hearted individuals whose interests I share and at a time in my life when I have learned to value and hold dear all these new contacts.  I also wanted to add again my appreciation for the AP forum for being such an incredible resource that I can draw on whilst writing my brains out.  I just want to know all the details and it is amazing to be able to ask a question and get answers immediately.  Well back to the salt mines and my writing and again I so enjoy hearing everyone's memoirs....best Griff       

[Alixz]

Many years ago, I went into Fortunoffs (the source!) with a friend.  I was looking for a gift for another Britophile friend.  I saw a beautiful picture in a (possibly Faberge ) frame and asked to see it.  Of course I couldn't afford it, but I was spell bound.

I told the clerk that it wasn't the "right thing" for my friend ( I couldn't admit that I just couldn't afford it) and as he was putting it away, he said, "I don't know who would want an old picture of Nicholas and Alexandra anyway."

I smiled sweetly and answered, "I don't know because that is a picture of King George V and Queen Mary."

I then beat a hasty retreat smiling from ear to ear!

[historyfan]

Many years ago, I went into Fortunoffs (the source!) with a friend.  I was looking for a gift for another Britophile friend.  I saw a beautiful picture in a (possibly Faberge ) frame and asked to see it.  Of course I couldn't afford it, but I was spell bound.

I told the clerk that it wasn't the "right thing" for my friend ( I couldn't admit that I just couldn't afford it) and as he was putting it away, he said, "I don't know who would want an old picture of Nicholas and Alexandra anyway."

I smiled sweetly and answered, "I don't know because that is a picture of King George V and Queen Mary."

I then beat a hasty retreat smiling from ear to ear!

Now that's entertainment!  : )

[Holly]

I love your story, Alixz. I feel I've done similar on occasion.  ; )

On a related note, when I was thirteen and in a computer class, I was browsing the AP when I should have been doing work. My teacher could view all of our screens from her computer and one day she came up to me during class and looked at the AP on my screen and asked, "Do you do this for another class or is this for your own pleasure?" I was nervous from being caught and said it was for my own enjoyment. She just stared at me for a long time and walked away. I feel she saw just as much of the AP boards as I had.

I definitely think there is something to this age theory. I have no doubt I would not have gone to college or gone to Russia or met some of my favorite people in the world if it wasn't for that book I picked up. I'm well-known for repeating REMEDIAL math classes more than once, but I know that if I hadn't had my passion for Russian history I wouldn't have even attempted attending a university. I only applied for the chance of studying Russian and studying in Russia.

[Alixz]

I find it sad that schools tend to "pigeonhole" students for what they can't do well instead of what they can do well.

When my son was younger, I was told that he also had no aptitude for spelling.  My answer to the teacher was, "Isn't that what dictionaries are for?"  She didn't like that much.  Of course now spell check takes the place of dictionaries in most people's writing and Oh how I wish I had had it when I was in college.

Instead I had a "dog eared" dictionary and Thesaurus by my side constantly.

I have always treasured my trip to Fortunoff's and I often wonder just how that clerk felt?  However it is an easy mistake to make for those who don't know a lot about Nicholas II and George V.  They did so look alike.

I think that griffh recognizing "Baby Bee" was more exciting because she is not as well known and I am not sure that I would have known who she was from the picture.

One other place that we used to go often was the Russian Tea Room.  I was so sad when it closed.  My fervent warning to all who used to go there was to be careful of ordering borscht if it was something that you normally didn't eat.  It was a long ride home from NYC to my home in CT on a train.  Borscht can be like a physic to the uninitiated digestive tract.

[Alixz]

And then there used to be the Faberge Collection at the Forbes Magazine building in NYC.  I took many a friend to see it when I was younger and introduced them to the wonder and beauty of Faberge.  (It has now been returned to Russia).

The only thing that bothered me and I said it often when I was at the exhibition was that the Imperial Easter Eggs were very dirty.  They were dusty and needed a good and thorough cleaning. 

I wonder if the Russians have taken the time to find experts to do the job correctly and carefully. 

Can you imagine hearing a "crash" in the workroom and an "Oops!"  I just dropped the Orange Tree Egg.  Anybody got the tube of "Super Glue?"

[Robert_Hall]

This really belongs in the Faberge thread, but I saw that collection at the Hermitage when it first returned to Russia. Yes, it has been meticulously cleaned. There was hope it would join the Armoury collection in the Kremlin, but I do not know if that happened..
 Over many years, I think I have seen all the surviving Imperial eggs, even the ones in private hands have been put up in exhibitions from time-to-time.
 I always try and look for the ones given to Alexandra especially. I think it was a good thing that they were scattered over several palace and NOT taken into exile with the other jewels,  who knows what would have happened to them in that event ?

[aleksandr pavlovich]

 Re Post # 56, follow-up to Robert's remarks :  The last thing that I heard, Robert (and it has been some time ago, thus I stand to be corrected), was that after the Hermitage exhibition, the eggs, et al., purchased from the Forbes collection had been stored in London (subject to other previously agreed-upon European exhibitions), awaiting a planned private museum in the Russian Federation. Being an essentially "private ownership" collection, the postulation was to possibly avoid any "nationalization takeover " should the owner/s "cross the line" in some of their business dealings.  
 Since "Alixz" humourously mentioned "The Orange Tree Egg," I heard recently, that THAT specific egg allegedly has had more owners than any of the other eggs, since leaving the Imperial collections!        Regards,  AP.

[griffh]

I just can't quit this thread...

Robert and Aleksandr pavlovich thanks so much for the update on the Faberge Eggs as that is very reassuring.  I can't help remembering reading that little book by H. G. Wells, which was either his Six Weeks in Russia, 1919, or Russia in Shadows in which he describes how Gorki had insisted that the looting stop and demanded that everyone was to bring all their bounty to the Winter Palace. 

Apparently many of the looters obeyed because Wells remembers being taken by Gorki through room after room of treasures which were carefully labeled as to who the owner had been, even the piles of fur coats were all carefully labeled.  Though Stalin sold off so much of Russia’s heritage, it is encouraging to know how carefully it was preserved at first and it is so important that these treasures are returning home.  The nation needs so much to know how magnificent its heritage is. 

Alixz you will be glad to know that the Russian Tea Room is alive and well!!!   

Here is the Russian Tea Room’s link:    http://russiantearoomnyc.com     

My sister and I were just there last May and had a wonderful time with Margarita and her husband who were visiting NYC on their whirlwind tour of Europe and Canada.  The Doorman at the Russian Tea Room is still wearing his smart red livery and it is still an enchanting place to dine and meet friends. 

I think the highlight of our luncheon at the Russian Tea Room was when Margarita ordered a Rasputin and then told the waiter that they needed to change the description of Rasputin.  It was the greatest moment and I must say that the waiter held his own fairly well but Margarita clearly won in the end.  All I remember about the drink is that there were gold flakes floating about.

Hey Alixz I just wanted to add that, like History fan and Holly, I loved your story about Fortunoff...I am always embarrassed after I share stories because they all end up sounding so snobbish but they are just family memories to me.

[Robert_Hall]

One last bit about the Forbes collection. It was a total surprise to us to see it at the Hermitage.It was not heavily advertised, not even in Russian. It did move on to exhibit in Moscow and then was supposed to tour  the other major Russian cities. Whether or not it did that I do not know.