Exporting Of Items.

[Keith]

I have had my medals searched at the airport in Tallinn. They are looking for pre-war local items, they will confiscate those. All of the baltic states forbid bringing out awards from their first period of independence (1918-1940).

Keith

[Nack]

Interesting info--thanks guys.

[Chuck In Oregon]

I thought that Georgia was the only FSU country with no restrictions on exporting Soviet-era items. I usually take at least a carry-on, if not a suitcase-full of things home with me each trip. Many of the items also include Imperial Russian badges and medals and I have never had a problem. I've only been asked to open my bags once or twice in Georgia, but nearly always in my transit airports. No problems. I did have a problem once when I had some Bronze Age daggers in my check-in luggage and I won't make that mistake again. Medals and badges, no problem. Antiquities, BIG problem.

Chuck ... in Oregon where I belong

[tinmoldova]

Moldova is also as particular as Russia when it comes to allowing the export of Soviet items--the enduring legacy of having a Communist president I suppose....

[Tretov]

How about uniforms from Russia? I may be going to St Petersburg this summer, and in the case I would find the long sought-after Marsjal SSSR M/69...

[Chuck In Oregon]

I just re-read what I wrote last night in Post #8 at http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...8659#post38659 . I want to add something and I thought I'd start a new thread about it.

I didn't mean to discourage anyone from trying to find collectibles in Georgia or anywhere else. I don't have the means or inclination to try to "keep things for myself" in Georgia, even if that was possible. Which, of course, it isn't.

What I meant to say, besides "no", was that you definitely can find good collectibles there. It's just that the old days of picking through boxes of good orders and badges to find one in the condition you wanted are over. If you want to find and buy the good stuff, you have to come up with other ways of locating sellers. You also have to assume that they are at least somewhat familiar with going prices and you're not going to be paying $6 for $300 items.

My way works for me. I shared some of it, but not all of it, in my other post. It should result in me acquiring some nice pieces over the next few years and keeping alive some enjoyable friendships.

There are bound to be other ways as well. For instance, there are areas in the Caucasus and the FSU, in Georgia and elsewhere, that have little regular contact with the modern west. If you are able to get out into them and let it be known what you are looking for, you could probably turn up some rarities.

However, you would have to braver and/or dumber -- braver is easy, but I'll give you a run for your money for dumber -- than I am to do that. Being known in some of those places as the foreigner who has a lot of money to spend could easily get you robbed ... or much, much worse. There is no law in many of those areas, and in other areas it is the police or militia themselves who might do you in.

When I tell people in the west that there is no law, they often think I am exaggerating or that what I really mean is that there aren't many policemen. No, what I really mean is that there is no effective law enforcement of any kind outside of the main cities, and darn little inside them, and the cavalry really isn't coming if you get into any kind of trouble at all.

If you are thinking about buying Soviet and Imperial items at the source, think of it like a gold rush. The days of picking up nuggets out of a clear stream are over. Now the guys who find the gold are guys with good ideas about how to find the hidden deposits and who are willing to work hard to make their ideas pay off. Sure, I suppose there will still be the easy nugget now and then (God knows, I keep looking) but likely not often enough to pay for your efforts. And now you have to deal with claim-jumpers and bandits.

Finding collectibles at the source is fun and exciting, and reasonably safe if you don't do dumb things. You might very well get to be the very first collector who has ever owned, or even seen, a rare or previously unknown piece. That has happened to me.

I wish you success and the enjoyment of the hunt if you go in this direction, and don't forget to share your finds with the rest of us.

Chuck

[Keith]

I have had alot of luck recently collecting at the source by learning to speak Estonian. Almost every village in the baltic states seems to have a local collecting guru who can really help you out. Frequently, these people speak only the local language, no English, and no Russian. These people have almost no contact with people from the West and little contact with serious collectors who can afford to buy good items. They also do not have computers, so finding them via the internet is out. I am sure that if you learned some minority language and travelled in the area where that language is spoken, you would get some great items.

Keith

[Soviet]

Thanks for all your answers. That is really interesting.

[Christophe]

What to see in St Petersburg ? What to bring back ?

I'll be in St Petersburg next week, during the White Nights .

2 points :

1.
I do know we have to be very prudent with exporting cultural items... and I'll take no risk .
See this thread (post #4) :
http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...ead.php?t=3510

But, what about books?

I'm also a collector of architecture books, and I am specifically interested in books about the Soviet architecture from the 20-30's, as well as the 50-70's period...
To your knowledge, is there any problem to export these, even the 20-30's books ?

And in a general manner, what to bring back ?


2.
What to see in St Petersburg ?

I plan to see (if possible):
* The Hermitage Museum
* The Church on Spilled Blood
* The Museum of the Defence and Blockade of Leningrad (what do you think of it, any opinion ?)
* The Central Naval Museum (opinion ?)
* The Cruiser Aurora
* ...

What else could you recommand ? Any specific place to visit ?


Many thanks in advance.

Ch.

[DougD]

Ch.

CNM is, in my opinion, the best museum (military related) in Russia; don't skip it, spend a good 4 hours in it. Gift shop is weak, and the bathrooms are like a WWII latrine, but the museum itself is great; I have been to it 4 times and would go again.

Also, make sure to visit the Central Museum of Artillery and Enginnering Troops. Always under renovation, it's right across from StP and P Fortress. It is also a great museum; avoid the guides though they take FOREVER to get through a room.

Go out to the Summer palace and take the Mi-8 ride; its worth it! How many times can you ride an Mi-8?

There is also the small, but very well done museum of S.Kirov. Its in his old apartment. I am not 100% sure its still up and running, but it was in 2002.

Also, take a tour of the WWII Submarine museum, out near the neva docks. Its a WWII sub ( i forget the number).

Keep your eye open on the Aurora for Admiral L.D. Chernavin, he is head of the museum / ship. Nice guy, I had dinner with him 3 times. He can hold his vodka!

Smolny is good for a visit too, but getting through security can be a bit of work.

St.Pete is still the best city in Russia, maybe Europe.

DD

ps- leningrad defence museum is good, not big, but the layout is very interesting. Also, drive further out (heading towards Pulkova Heights) and go to the trench lines that mark the Leningrad defence lines. Overgrown yes, but some of the original trench lines are still visable.