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containing many details of Olga's life farming at Ballerup near Copenhagen and later in Canada, including one letter which has attached a picture drawn by Olga for Mrs Sinclair when in Russia, signed in Russian and dated 1893, sent to Olga in 1939 and then returned, references to Olga's exhibition of her paintings at Walker's Galleries in London, 19th June - 1st July 1939, Xenia's note giving Olga's address in Canada, and a long letter from Olga on hearing again from Mrs Sinclair, with details of her farm there, her children and grandchildren, 6th February 1951, together 21 sides mostly tall 8vo, Ballerup near Copenhagen, Hampton Court and Campbellville, Ontario, 21st April 1939 - 6th February 1940 and 27th December 1950 - 5th May In April 1916, Nicholas II annulled his sister Olga's 15-year marriage to Duke Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg. In November that year, while serving as a nurse at Kiev, she married Cavalry Captain Nikolai Kulikovsky (1881-1958). When it became possible to leave Russia in 1919, Olga's mother Dagmar (Empress Marie Feodorovna) summoned her to Hvidore, where Olga for a time acted as her secretary. The couple then bought a farm which they worked to earn a living, supplemented by the sale of Olga's paintings. Olga was a focus of help for Russian emigrés, and also the target of imposters, including Anna Anderson, whom she quickly realized was not her niece. After the war they gave up the farm and took an opportunity to move to Canada, after spending time at Hampton Court with Olga's sister Xenia. From these letters it appears that Mrs Sinclair was with the family of Alexander III some time in the 1890s and then went to Sandringham. CHECKLIST Pre-war: 1. 21st April 1939, Ballerup. "You can't imagine how pleased I am to have your letter. Of that dear beloved family Maud [daughter of Edward VII, Queen of Norway] was the last. a staunch friend. & fancy I got a Xmas present from her after her death! Fredensborg. seems to be haunted by faces & voices. so dear to me", talking of her family at Ballerup, "If you can go and look at the exhibition - then you will see my garden. Our dear sons are both Danish soldiers. I remember you had a sweet curly headed little boy. I can't say how your lines touched me. My dear Nanna [Mrs Elizabeth Franklin] died in 1914, 28 May", with a P.S., "Here is a tiny picture [not present] - I hope better than the one I gave you about 50 years ago". 2 sides 8vo. Mrs Sinclair was then living at 'Hilcot', 4 Knighton Close, Woodford Green, Essex. 2. 27th May 1939, [Ballerup]. Olga has sent "3 large boxes with my framed pictures to London. you will see the stone wall I built from stones off our fields. my Godchild called Olga - a small farmer's girl. a room with yellow chintz. All the furniture here I took from Hvidore. English (I think from Warings)", returning the drawing [present], of a cottage and an open-sided outhouse among trees, in coloured crayons, 2½" x 5½", signed below in Russian 'Olga' with the date 1893, "My sons thought that I drew very badly", ending "I remain with love Olga", and sending her love to "yr. brother-in-law Cole. he must be very lonely.". 2 sides 8vo and 1 side drawing. 3. 2nd July 1939, Ballerup. "I am so pleased you could go. And you could recognize the Danish china on a bracket (from Hvidore) and a little cabinet - this amused me so much to hear. I love all bright colours & pretty contrasts of colours. ". 1 side 8vo. Olga also painted on porcelain blanks, and used to replace the Royal Copenhagen china at Hvidore that got broken. 4. 16th August 1939, [Ballerup]. "It was so nice of you sending me those 2 views of lovely Sandringham. I was there but once - in spring & thought it was a divine place and got up early and wandered about & painted", she will never forget "the bluebells in the forest. We had a picnic and sat on them and eat boiled pheasant eggs. My sister", Xenia, "will be so pleased if you call. her address is 'Wilderness House' at Hampton Court", and d.
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