Mr. Petrov - I check in here every day, but don't recall ever posting - so I'll thank you for your incredible dedication as historian of an era. On the topic of "details", I think it's best to publish them, so each of us can decide if we want to know, and read if we so choose. Unlike the AR responders, the folks here seem to recognize the distinction between gossip and history. The men you write about are not mere gunmakers, they're artistic pioneers in the field, and details count. To understand van Gogh, and his art, without recognizing his mental illness [the "ear story"] would be impossible! Often these men seemed to sacrifice a "normal life" to achieve what they did, and recognizing that is part of recognizing their accomplishments.
