Show r Search Is Started Sta t d for 1 I Old Collection of of fit Art j SAN FRANCISCO June 12 AP The The Russian department of ot the Bank of ot ItaI Italy began today a search for a co collection of ot paintings painting Ing bronzes bronze and precious stones on which a avalue avalue avalue value of has been placed The collection was exhibited here herb three years yel ago at the Palace of ot Fine Arts Arta an and was supposed to have be been n stored later In a bank vault The bank Is acting at the in- in Mrs trl L. L Meyer l of Shanghai whose brother the late Ivan court artist in Russia under the czar was curator and exhibitor of the collection tion Just who owns the collection bank officials say Is as much of a problem as its location There is isa isa Isa a claimant in Moscow as well asin as 11 asin in Shanghai and It is thought possible possible pos pos- sible the city of If San Sah Francisco may have some claim also a Los AngEles Angeles Angeles An An- geles woman oman claims it ft The collection was acquired in the far east luring during the war by Kalmy koff who acted under a commission commissIon commis commis- r sIon slon from the czar to assemble rare bronzes s paintings and gems for th the the Russian Academy of Fine Arts Art After Atter l had completed hi his assignment he found a new government government government gov gov- in Russia and he was un unable unable unable un- un able to return He then decided t to bring the collection to San 1 ran Fran ran ran- Cisco On October 14 1925 made nade a a. a will died shortly afterward after after- ward In Los Angeles He had conditionally conditionallY con con- bequeathed the collection to the San Francisco Museum l o oArt of Art but the wit wil is said never to have been executed The conditions condition were that if and when the United States r recognized the Russian government government gov gov- th the collection was to be re returned returned returned re- re turned to Moscow Shortly before the artists artist's death he was attended by a nurse named Miss FaUna Falina Na- Na kitina who claims he made a verbal verbal ver vet bal will on his death bed leaving the collection to her The bank therefore considers 1 It Ita ita a difficult problem to solve |