An Ornate 19th Century Antique Russian Imperial Porcelain Plate for Sale
Emperor Alexander II dinner plate
from the Formal Service of the Tsar's private yacht DERZHAVA
(The Imperial Orb).
According to the archives, the service was recorded as "the
formal service for the Imperial family" (see The Russian Imperial Yachts Late
XVII - Early XX Century, page 39).
This is the most decorated yacht service of the Russian
Tsars. It was designed by architect of the Court and professor of the
Academy of Arts in St Petersburg Ippolit Monigetti (1819-1878).
The service was intended for 30 people. It was made at the Imperial
Porcelain Factory between 1871 and 1874 with some later editions
produced in 1878. Archival records indicate that there were
816 porcelain pieces from The Formal Service on board the yacht in 1890.
Diameter 9 3/4 in. (24,6 cm)
Condition: worn gilding of two lines that circle the
center; intact gilding of the center and border; light rubbing to black
ground of the border; no chips, no cracks, no restoration.
An attractive display plate from one of the rarest Russian Imperial
yachts.
The border is decorated with a jeweled gold Russian Imperial Orb on a
Royal blue ground (at 12 o'clock)
and a jeweled gold cipher of Emperor Alexander II in Old Slavonic style
(at 6 o'clock), further painted in gold with anchors and elaborately
intertwined ship's ropes forming double headed Russian eagles which
are linked to the anchors with gold chains. The center is painted with
a circle of rope knots.
Green factory mark in the form of Alexander II cipher