Hammer made his fortune through a range of entrepreneurial activities including selling pharmaceuticals and wheat to Russia then importing caviar and furs to the U.S.A. in return. Hammer moved to Russia to oversee a [[pencil]]-making factory and export business but following [[Stalin]]'s accession to power, Hammer left Russia taking with him many Russian paintings which he used to found the Hammer Galleries in [[New York]]. | Hammer made his fortune through a range of entrepreneurial activities including selling pharmaceuticals and wheat to Russia then importing caviar and furs to the U.S.A. in return. Hammer moved to Russia to oversee a [[pencil]]-making factory and export business but following [[Stalin]]'s accession to power, Hammer left Russia taking with him many Russian paintings which he used to found the Hammer Galleries in [[New York]]. |