We previously mentioned G. K. Lukomsky’s book *Ancient Estates of the Kharkiv Governorate*. In particular, it is thanks to this book that Georgy Kreskentievich is known among admirers of Kharkiv’s history. However, if you take a closer look at the book’s covers, a number of questions arise…

Based on the information published in issues 26 (1915), 56 (1916), and 67 (1916) of the journal “Capital and Country Estate,” we can draw the following conclusions:

1. In 1915–1916, before the publication of the book *Historic Estates of the Kharkiv Governorate*, some of its material was first published in the magazine *Capital and Estate*;
2. The collection of information on the estates and the preparation of the book began at least as early as 1914;
3. Count Nikolai Vladimirovich Kleinmichel, who owned an estate in Lyutivka, played a very active role in the creation and publication of the book:
a) He participated in the 1914 expedition to gather the material;
b) He financed the publication of the book.

The material in this essay is partly drawn from a work by the author of these lines, currently being prepared for publication by Count V. A. Kleinmichel: “Estates of the Kharkiv Governorate.” The photographs were taken in 1914 specifically on commission from “The Capital and the Country Estates” by photographer Y. Steinberg, in accordance with instructions from G. K. Lukomsky.

Compiled from materials published by Count N. V. Kleinmichel in a special book on historic estates in Kharkiv; photographs by Count S. D. Golitsyn.

Adapted from materials collected during the expedition led by Count N. V. Kleinmichel and G. K. Lukomsky through the Kharkiv Governorate in the summer of 1914, with the aim of studying manor estates.

However, just how active was his role? Was he a co-author? Would the book have been published without him? This remains unclear to this day.

4. For reasons completely unknown to us, Lukomsky does not mention Count Kleinmichel even once in the preface.

There are still many unknowns and uncertainties in this story. However, it is a fact that the name of one of the key creators of this wonderful book has been unjustly forgotten.
We’ll find out very soon who Count Kleinmichel was.