Sunbeam

[Macedonsky]

ISBN 5-88810-036-X. Peterhof: Abris, 2004.

[Belochka]

I have seen this book floating around.

How different is this one compared to the older Vagrius publication (1998) Tsetsarevich?

Spasibo,  

Belochka

[Macedonsky]

How different is this one compared to the older Vagrius publication (1998) Tsetsarevich?

I have not read Vagrius book. Abris publication was issued on the base of exhibition dedicated to centenary. It includes, for example, chapter Alexis in Petrhof.

In contrast with previous albums from The Romanov Dynasty serie, Alexis and Dimitri K were published only in Russian.

[Charles]

How many books are in this series by Abris.  Konstantin Pavlovich, Konstantin Nikolaevich, Dmitrii Konstantinovich, Aleksei Nikolaevich...  Who else?

Many thanks in advance

Charles

[Macedonsky]

How many books are in this series by Abris.  Konstantin Pavlovich, Konstantin Nikolaevich, Dmitrii Konstantinovich, Aleksei Nikolaevich...  Who else?

"Alexander III in Gatchina". Abris is situated in Peterhof and published about owners of Peterhof and Strelna (and about palaces also). There is also serie "Owners of Pavlovsk" by another publisher.

[moonlight_tsarina]

I wish I lived in Russia so I could get these books!
I see kinds like this published all the time. Are they albums or what?

[Pravoslavnaya]

I was lucky enough to get this Arbus-Peterhof book on eBay, from Gilbert's Royal Books.  (Many thanks to Paul Gilbert!   )  This book was published in time for Alexei Nikolaevich's 100th birthday, and is not to be confused with another very touching publication from  'Tsarskoe-Delo', titled 'Tsesarevich', which I happen to like better.

'Sunbeam' is tied in with Peterhof, the location of the Heir's birth, and the text mostly deals with those events in the boy's life that centered themselves around that location.  Wonderful details about the boy's baptism abound, and some pictures of wallpaper from the dacha's rooms, of family possessions not all necessarily belonging to Alexei, and of a few other rarities add real color to the pages.  The biographical sketch at the end of the book, however, seems almost to have been lifted from the forward of the Vagrius publication, 'Tsesarevich'; perhaps it serves as  standard GARF material.

Quite a collector's item for those interested in the Heir, after all a 100th birthday doesn't come every day!

[moonlight_tsarina]

If anyone owns or has read The Camera and the Tsars by Charlotte Zeepvat, in the last pages there are a few pictures of memoribilia, such as books just like this for Nicholas and more for Alexei. They are all in Russian though. Luckily, my mom works with a Russian women, and she likes the Romanovs so she would help me translate!  

[Belochka]

With a number of books released by the different publishing houses in Russia in recent years, on the same topic, I have found that each are extensively using the same color images, with similar text transposed from an early publication (just as Pravoslavnaya has alluded to). Only minor variation in content is evident. The style of the written text accords to the author's personal interpretation of the same event, and the publisher's formatting of all the information, to give the semblance of something distictive.

In fact another Abris publication Nicholas II The Imperial Family in the Treasures of Russia series, published in 2004, clearly specifies the words: First publication below the relevant image. Otherwise, many of the images in this publication have been reproduced in a multitude of other publications.

[Ortino]

Nicholas II The Imperial Family

 I have that one. I bought it at Peterhof when I was there in July 2004. It's a nice book, but there are a few mistakes with labeling the girls and such. Belochka is right, it does say first publication under the relevant images.

Is this book entirely on Alexei, or is he just the main focus?

[hikaru]

There is also book "Imperial Petergof" of the same publishing house. This book is about the famous events (mascarades, balls etc) which took place during Romanov's reigning in Petergof.
I liked this book.
All book are available in English.

[Belochka]

There is also book "Imperial Petergof" of the same publishing house.

Yes, I have this booklet as well. It is an elegant publication with numerous watercolors, and provides brief notes on how the Emperors from Alexander I to Nikolai II interacted with Petergof.