Czarist Jewels Show Standoff Ends

Ending a peculiar three-week standoff, the Russian government agreed to allow a $100-million collection of czarist jewels and artwork to head for Houston where it will resume an American museum tour. Timothy Dickinson, an attorney for the Russian government, would not provide details except to say the parties agreed on an “equitable splitting of the revenues.” For a week after the exhibit ended its Washington showing, two cars from the Russian Embassy blocked a moving van containing most of the treasures. The Russian government had demanded that the jewels be returned to Russia for a special exhibition. The truck was moved to the embassy compound, where it stayed as the controversy simmered for two more weeks.