Someone earlier asked about things from the palace being sent away from the Alexander Palace in anticipation of the revolution. During WWI at one point it looked like the Germans could occupy Petrograd. Because of this possibility the private rooms of Nicholas and Alexandra were to be photographed and some things were sent away from the palace to Moscow. There must have been plans for a general evacuation of things from the palace if the German advance became more threatening.
Lukomsky took some of the photographs of personal rooms taken during the war with him to Paris when he emigrated. The famous picture of the Maple Room, taken with Faberge Eggs in the corner vitrine was one of these pictures.
After the revolution more things were evacuated to Moscow. Among these were the beautiful carpet from Alexandra's Formal Reception Room and her David Roentgen desk there (now at the Hermitage).
As has been posted elsewhere a number of crates of things were shipped to Tobolsk for the family to use.
