Priceless Collection

As the main entrance to the medieval city of Cracow, Poland, centuries of history have passed through Florian's Gate. But for Alexander Kantor, now a successful antiques dealer in London, the place holds only one memory. It was here that he was arrested by the Nazis as a young man. There he passed from freedom to imprisonment; there began a lifetime of challenges to his heritage, his well-being, his relationships and his faith. Through dramatic events spanning fifty years, Florian's Gate follows members of a war-torn Polish family as they come to terms with their circumstances and the choices that divided them. Set in the luxurious trappings of today's London and the turbulent economies of Eastern Europe, the mysterious disappearance of an antiques dealer causes Alexander to travel back to his homeland. He did not suspect that the trail would ultimately lead to Florian's Gate and the discovery of a treasure of infinite value. A fascinating story blending a family epic with mystery and romance.

In Florian's Gate, T. Davis Bunn introduced his growing readership to the fascinating world of European art and antiques. During months of research, he discovered and pursued the legend of The Amber Room, an ensemble of precious 18th century wall panels that graced a tsarist palace in St. Petersburg. Stolen by Nazi invaders, it was carried off to a castle in East Prussia. Dubbed the "eighth wonder of the world," the treasure was last seen in 1945 during the chaotic scramble of men and borders during the end of the war. Was it destroyed by fire as officials claim, or was it mysteriously hidden away? "Unearthing the mystery" has led T. Davis Bunn to a maze of tunnels under a former Nazi headquarters in Weimar and to concrete SS bunkers in the hills of Jonastal. Reaching back to the ravages of the war, the lessons of faith and forgiveness discovered in Florian's Gate continue in this momentous sequel. Alexander Kantor and his assistant Jeffrey join a trail of intrigue and cover-ups that surround the Amber Room, and it pulls them into a web of deception. A metaphor for spiritual growth, the search for these treasures helps Alexander discover the paradox that greatness in God's eyes is expressed through humility. Jeffrey learns to apply the same zeal with which he hunts for artwork to his quest for the knowledge of God. Together they find a new understanding of human nature and divine love.

The struggle--for power, wealth, and souls--in the crumbling Soviet Empire Passing through Florian's Gate...having discovered the Amber Room...T. Davis Bunn now takes his readers to the Winter Palace! Jeffrey Sinclair is on top of the world. He is growing in professional success in the antiques trade, in his spiritual quest for a better understanding of God, and in his love for the beautiful Katya. But his world is suddenly shaken when his mentor Alexander falls ill, leaving Jeffrey to take on new responsibilities. What begins as an enjoyable honeymoon visit to Monte Carlo, ends with a mysterious assignment to reclaim a deposed Russian nobleman's winter palace. Thrust into the turbulence of modern-day St. Petersburg, Jeffrey's search constantly links him to the riches of its tsarist history. Here he confronts the dangerous collusion that has emerged between former Communist Party members, KGB agents, and self-styled "Mafia" gangs of criminals and black-marketers. But most striking to him is the material and spiritual hunger which gnaws at the people. Who will meet this incredible need? And is it just the estate Count Markov seeks to recover, or is there something more?