Martyn, I imagine the cleaning techniques used were rather primitive. This was Soviet Russia - they had difficulty enough feeding the populace. Indeed it is remarkable they took this degree of interest in the remnants of what was left of those they so abhorred.
Nicholas, in photographs, always appeared to have a fit, well-maintained body. The chest size of his jackets certainly do not measure 42". They are not very long either. It is sad that it is no longer possible to get a true representation of the figure of the man, but it is wonderful so much did survive, revolution and war.
The Royal Scots Greys had no idea this uniform still existed. I was happy to reunite them with it. From this connection grew the presence of pipers of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (the Greys have been amalgamated into this regiment) at the funeral of the Imperial Family. The pipers piped the coffins bearing the remains of Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria/Anastasia, Dr Botkin, Anna Demidova, Trupp and Kharitinov off the aircraft which had carried them from Ekaterinburg to St Petersburg.
tsaria