the Slide

[brnbg aka: liljones1968]

i'm hoping this won't be a repost of an image everyone's already seen, but just in case.....

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

Hello Brian,

This is indeed different from the photograph of the room you can see in this site, so is really wonderful you posted it! Thanks so much! Do you remember where did you find that photo?

[pushkina]

where in the palace was it and what was it used for?

[Forum Admin]

http://www.alexanderpalace.org/palace/mountain.html

[pushkina]

thanks FA for the link.

[BobG]

Goula,
What a wonderful picture! Do you have any others of the Alexander Palace in this time period that you could post?
Thanks.
Bob

[ChristineM]

I too would like to know the origin of this photograph.   It looks to me like an upright piano in the front right of the photograph.   I think this it may well date from pre- 1917.   Am I correct Mr Atchison?

tsaria

[Forum Admin]

According to Bob:
Tsaria is correct that there is a piano visible next to the slide. The parrot was also kept in this room, and would screech loudly while someone played the piano and the children would go down the slide!

The car was never kept in the room until the palace was turned into a museum, and even then was moved around to different places during the 30s. If you look at the first picture, you can see the corner of the piano just behind the car.

The second photo may or may not be pre-1917, it is impossible to tell. It may be from the earliest days of Palace as museum, or it may be pre1917...no way to know for certain.

[Forum Admin]

Bob doubts it is the original piano and is more likely a similar one brought back to the palace.  He does not recall ever seeing the piano in Kotchumov's inventory of items post war.  He says they certainly would NOT have wasted their time or energy to save this heavy bulky piano of no real "artistic" value from the Germans when so much else had to be protected.

As for the other photos, The Forum is being overwhelmed at times.  If Goulda wants to share the photos, we would LOVE to make special pages on the main website for them. Contact me privately.
Thanks

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

I too would like to know the origin of this photograph.   It looks to me like an upright piano in the front right of the photograph.   I think this it may well date from pre- 1917.   Am I correct Mr Atchison?

tsaria

Hello Tsaria,

This photo also comes from the book "Arkhitektura Goroda Pushkina". I think it was published around 1930.

[ChristineM]

Dear Antonio

Thank you very much.   Could you please tell me, are there many photographs in this publication?   Sounds like it is a new title for me to keep an eye open.  I would imagine it will be quite difficult to find.

Thanks again -

tsaria  

[Antonio_P.Caballer]

Dear Tsaria,

The book has a lot of interesting and rare photographs, as well as plans of the Alexander and Catherine palaces. I agree with you that it must be very difficult to find, and then quite expensive.(In ebay it was sold for 300$). I suppose the only way to find that book is looking directly for it in Russia...

[Angie_H]

Are there any pictures of the children playing on the slide?

[BobAtchison]

I believe the clock was by Rachette.  If I remember correctly - it was broken during the revolution when it was badly packed and then was repaired.  The figures were porcelain.

[Alice]

Was Alexei allowed to play on the slide (with his condition?) It looks rather safe, as the transition from the bottom of the slide to the floor is very smooth . .  but all the same.