[1]: 64 [2] Among these state treasures were 30 of the 40 Fabergé eggs that had been held by the Moscow Armory following the abdication of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II.
[2]: 169 The new government of Russia began its existence in dire financial straits.
Lenin and later Stalin needed money as quickly as possible, and the liquidation of Russian art works was believed to be one way to accomplish this.
Russian art historians in charge of holding these works thwarted their attempts, and sometimes disguised or hid works that Antikvariat, had it known of their existence, would have preferred to have sold.
For this, many of those passionate to retain these works were arrested, tried, and executed.