Most people hate renovating (although I secretly
love the whole process of watching the old become fresh, fabulous and new), and
when it’s an old house, the process can be just unbearable.
So I’m fascinated with the story that came out of St. Petersburg,
Russia last week, where workers renovating an 18th century building that had
originally been two townhouses, then cobbled into one grand townhouse, then a
Soviet cafeteria, then drab Communist apartments, and is presently slated to
become a convention center (phew, that's repurposing!!), opened a hidden
storage area between floors and discovered a veritable Aladdin's cave
treasure! The find included jewelry, military orders, coins, documents
and silverware (including not one, but THREE dinner services of over 1000
pieces each!) that had been hidden away by the noble Naryshkin family.
Not yet fully catalogued, it is expected to be worth several millions of dollars.
Interestingly, much of the treasure was wrapped in newspapers
dating from March, June and September 1917. You can just imagine the
story unfolding: March of 1917 saw Russia still embroiled in the throws of World
War I and the streets of St. Petersburg were filled with tens of thousands of
striking workers who brought about the end of the Romanov monarchy on
March 2nd. That's when the Naryshkins put away the first of the
cache.
Then in June 1917, the war was coming to its disastrous end
for Russia as troops flooded into St. Petersburg and joined the strikes which
were now clamoring for a government takeover by the Soviets (yup, it was
looking pretty bleak for the aristos as the Royal family would be executed July
16 1917).
Finally by September 1917 when the last things were
squirreled away, Leon Trotsky had taken control of St. Petersburg and Russia
had been declared a Republic. The Naryshkins left Russia in late 1917 probably
hoping to return to their home and possessions. They never did.
According to Russian law, the finders should keep half the
treasure with the owners of the property keeping the other half. I think
this is an important lesson for all home renovators: make sure you're there
with your workers when they start opening floors and walls, or better yet, get
on that demolition team yourself! Start digging!
image credits: Associated Press
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