a pair of russian porcelain pot-pourri vases, imperial porcelain manufactory, st. petersburg, period of alexander ii (1855-81)

the ovoid bodies molded with garlands, one pot-pourri painted with bouquets of flowers on both sides, the second with a bust-length portrait of a man in eighteenth-century costume en grisaille on one side and a loose arrangement of flowers and fruits on the reverse, both with handles formed as satyr masks under gilded leaves, the necks pierced, the domed lids with finely modeled roses, green cypher mark 

overall good condition
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These covered pot-pourris vases, undoubtedly designed August Karl Spiess (1817-1904), typify the distinctive Rococo Revival style of the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory during the mid-19th century.  (A pair of pot-pourri vases identical in form are in the collection of Russian porcelains in the State Hermitage Museum.)  The satyr masks appear  on a large number of vases designed by Spiess, a graduate of the sculpture department at Berlin's Academy of Arts in 1847. He worked for two years in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, acquainting himself with the tastes of the Court as well as the masterpieces in the imperial collections. He became a sculptor at the Imperial Porcelain Factory in 1849 and, in keeping with his interest in the eighteenth century, his career there is associated with dozens of new designs for vases, mirrors, chandeliers, and sculpted figures reminiscent of rococo design. The highly detailed and finely modeled roses on the lid of each pot-pourri vase are undoubtedly based on designs by Petr Ivanov (ca. 1780-1851), who first formulated a porcelain mass capable of sustaining the intricate forms of various blooms in biscuit.  During the reign of Alexander II, numerous glazed and painted flowers were applied as decoration to vases, mirrors, and even specially commissioned furniture.

We are grateful to Dr. Ekaterina Khmelnitskaya of the State Hermitage Museum for kindly sharing her research on Spiess and examples of his work in the museum's collections.