ROMANOV FAMILY: BOOKS THEY LEFT BEHIND (EKATERINBURG)

As a librarian, of course this topic is of great interest to me: which books did the Romanov family bring into exile with them and what did they read during their dreary days of captivity? About 10 years ago, in 2005, I was very fortunate to have the chance to work with the Romanov family books directly – when I did an internship at the Rare Book Department of The Tsarskoe Selo Museum. Their collection consisted of numerous books, many of which had inscriptions of the Romanov family members in them. I will do another story on those later!

List of books that belonged to Empress Alexandra found at the Ipatiev house.

“The Ladder” – with a red and gold embossed cover. On the reverse side of the first blank page of the book is a pasted rhombus -shaped paper with the monogram: “A. F. “and the imperial crown. On the third page with the printed name of the book, is written in the Empress’s hand in pencil: «А. Ф. Ц. С. март 1906 г.» ( “A. F. T. S. March 1906 “). Inside the book, some pages are crossed out and marked with a pencil. On page 167 are three bookmarks: a black white one marked with “184 № 53” and two blue ones one with the first letter P. for “page” ) and “184 № 53”, and on the other: “Р. 187 № 66”. On page 206 a white bookmark with “Р. 206 № 163”. On page 231 a pink bookmark with “Page 231 № 83”. And on page 269, just a white, wide, blank bookmark.

“On the Patience of Sorrow.” Blue cover, embossed in gold and black. On the back side of the front binding is a diamond-shaped pasted piece of with the monogram “A. F.” and the imperial crown. On the reverse side the Empress wrote: “A. F. Peterhof. 1906 ” Inside the book is a lot of pencil marks and underlined passages.

“Prayers” The book – in a dark blue calico binding. On the reverse of the title page pasted is a circle with an complex embossed monogram “NA” and “AF” and the imperial crown. The last page of the reverse sheet, written in black ink is: “May 6, 1883” Inside the book are a few dried flowers and a blue silk ribbon with a little ring.

“The Bible.” The book is in a black calico binding. There are a lot of underlined passages, in pencil, and inside some page is dried grass stalks, leaves and field flowers.

List of books that belonged to Grand Duchess Olga found at the Ipatiev house.

An English book, “And Mary Sings Magnificat” (paperback). On its cover is the image of the Holy Virgin praising the Lord, with two angels accompanying her. On the first page of the book – the image of the cross and poems written by the Empress in English. On the reverse side of the cover, the Empress wrote: “V. K. To Olga 1917. From Mama, Tobolsk. ” Inside the book, drawn and cut out from paper the images of the Church of the Transfiguration in Novgorod, and the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, Vladimirkaya Province, and, enclosed inside are three pieces of paper. On one of them is a handwritten poem: “The Broken Vase” by Sully Prudhomme. On the others two poems written by Grand Duchess Olga: “Before the Icon of the Virgin” and “The Forgiveness Prayer”.

A Russian book, “The Eaglet” (“Орленок”) by Rostand, with red and gold embossed cover. On the third page is an inscription in French: “V. K. O. N. from P.J. Spala 3 XI in 1912.”

An English book, “The Princess and the Goblin”. On the second page is the inscription in English “For Darling Olga. From Aunty Irene. 1908.”

A French book, “France in All Ages.” On the back of the cover, written by the Emperor’s hand, “Christmas 1911 – 24th December. Tsarskoe Selo. From Mama and Papa “, and on the side: ” Olga N.”

List of books that belonged to Grand Duchess Tatiana, found at the Ipatiev house

“The rules of Preparing for the Holy Communion.” The book has a blue embossed cover. On the first page the Empress wrote: “To my little mother Tatiana, 9th of February, 1912 . Tsarskoe Selo. ” The book is printed in Slavonic.

“Our Lady of Beneficence.” The book has a red cover. On the inside white cover is the- image of a cross and an inscription in English and in Russian, written by the Empress: “For my Darling Tatiana fr. her loving old Mama. Tobolsk. January 12, 1918. ”

“Book of Hours.” Brown hardcover. On the first page in the Empress’s handwriting: “T. N. Tobolsk, 1917, 30 September. ”

“Letters on the Christian life.” In black binding. On the reverse side of the cover the Empress wrote: “To Tatiana T. S. 1917, 12 July.”

“On the Patience of Sorrow.” Gray binding. In the corner of the cover the Empress wrote: “T. N. 1917. ”

“The Life and Miracles of St. Simeon the Righteous of Verkhotursk.” Gray binding. In the corner of the cover of the Empress wrote: “T. N. Tobolsk in 1917.”

“The Life of Our Father St. Seraphim of Sarov.” Gray binding . In the corner of her Empress wrote: “T. N. Tobolsk in 1918.”

“Collection of Reverential Readings” by Valuev. Light lilac cover. Inside pages 259, 271, 307, 351 and 417 are embedded dried flowers.

“Great Canons of St. Andrew of Crete.” The book has no binding. On the title page is the inscription: “To Tatiana. Tsarskoe Selo. February 10, 1909. from C. Tyutcheva.”

“Collection of Services, Prayers and Hymns.” Crimson embossed cover. On the title page is inscription: “To darling Tatiana, from your loving S. Tyutcheva. 1908, 25 November.” On the 113th – the tab-strip on one side of the circle drawn in any way the Maltese cross and the circle the inscription: “T. N. 1905 “and on the other is written in pencil:” Tatiana “. On the 191st – the tab – the image of the Holy Martyr Tatiana, and on the back of it – the inscription: “The Lord bless you.” On the 227th tab – Dried chamomile. On the last page, written in hand of Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna:

“Lord, have mercy final number 79 Znamenskogo chant.”

English book “The wider life”. Light blue cover with gold on the spine. On the back of the first page, written in the Empress’s hand: «For darling Tatiana from A. 1909.”

English book “The beauty of Self-Control”. Light blue cover. On the back of the first page the Empress signature: “Alexandra 1912” and some English lettering.

English book “Life’s open door”. On the reverse side of the first page, the Empress’s inscription in English, with the symbol of the cross: “+ Alexandra ”

“The Brave Life of Charskaya.” Hardcover with a picture on the cover. On the back of the cover page the Empress wrote: “To Dear Tatiana, from Papa and Mama. January. 1908.”

“The History of Peter the Great” by Chistyakov. Blue-green cover.

English book “Tales of Shakespeare“, brown cover.

“Fables of La Fontaine” in French, yellow cover. On the reverse side is written: “Olga Tatiana 1905. Peterhof. ”

“Anthology of Childhood” by Frederick Vatalya in French. On the back side of the front binding is the inscription: “Olga Tatiana 1906.”

List of books that belonged to Grand Duchess Maria found at the Ipatiev house