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Adams's mammoth from the Lena valley stood with wrongly set tusks until 1899
A little about the errors of scholars. In 1806 a frozen mammoth was found in the valley of the River Lena. Apart from the missing internal organs, part of the muscle mass and the front right leg, it was a whole carcass, badly mauled by the wild beasts that had
Archive · Mores · Society · People
Suicide of Londonderry, Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, in 1822
Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh and from 1821 Marquess of Londonderry, had been British Foreign Secretary since 1812 and in 1822 was to have represented his country at the Congress of Verona, had it not been for an unfortunate incident. One of the minister's ill-wishers learned of his
NB! · Architecture · Monarchies · Mores
Queen Charlotte and the pension for the Ladies of Llangollen, who lived at Plas Newydd
The Ladies of Llangollen's house, known as Plas Newydd, drew the attention of Queen Charlotte herself to the married couple. Charmed by the story of these modern ladies, the Queen prevailed upon the King to grant them a pension
Aristocracy · Books · Mores · People
Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, who settled in Llangollen in Wales
The women met in 1768, when Sarah was 13 and Eleanor 29. Ten years later they left their native parts together, setting off on a journey through Wales and, a little later, settling in Llangollen. They turned their house into a veritable pearl of local architecture and, given their way
NB! · Aristocracy · Mores · People
Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby were for most of their lives known as the Ladies of Llangollen
Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby were for most of their lives known as the Ladies of Llangollen. The romantic friends lived together in the Welsh backwoods for 50 years; today their union would be called a same-sex marriage
NB! · Art · Science · New York · People
The wife of the artist Konenkov, Margarita Ivanovna, was a Soviet intelligence officer and worked in New York for 22 years
The wife of the artist Konenkov, Margarita Ivanovna, was a Soviet intelligence officer and worked in New York for 22 years. One of her most famous operations was the attempt to recruit Albert Einstein
Art · Moscow · Museums · People
Anniversary of the death of sculptor Sergey Konenkov, who returned from the USA to the USSR
Today is the anniversary of the death of the Russian artist and sculptor Sergey Timofeyevich Konenkov, who died in his 98th year on 9 December 1971. The outstanding master lived and worked in the USA for more than twenty years. He returned to the USSR with all his works aboard
NB! · Observations
Today's Mood
NB! · Mores · People · Humour
Ghost of an Old Woman He Tortured Is Said to Haunt Dick Turpin, Executed Horse Thief
The famous English highwayman of the 18th century, Dick Turpin, hanged for horse-stealing, is said to be haunted to this day by the ghost of an old woman whom he tortured over the gold she had hidden. Does it remind you of anyone?
NB! · Art · Monarchies · Museums · Mores
Condition of the royal family's service and salt cellars as a mark of hosts' status in the 18th century
The service has survived beautifully, though the royal family used it for more than 200 years! Note the number of salt cellars: in the eighteenth century this was an important indicator of the status of those presiding at the table
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