Two Russian Porcelain Soup Plates from an Imperial Service, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg, Period of Paul I (1796-1801)

of circular form with shaped border, the center of each with landscape en grisaille, the border with gilded stylized wreath and Greek key ornament

Christie's London, April 21, 1988, lot 149, illustrated

minor rubbing throughout
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 soup plates are from a rare or little known service commissioned in 1790 for Grand Duke Paul Petrovich. The inclusion of Italianate landscapes demonstrates the continuing influence of the Cabinet Service on the design of new Russian table services. Examples from this unidentified service bearing marks from the reigns of Catherine II, Paul I and Alexander I are known in the collections of the Hermitage, Kuskovo and Peterhof. See An Imperial Fascination: Porcelain, Dining with the Czars, Peterhof, New York, 1991, p. 38, fig. 37 & 38; Treasures of Catherine the Great, London, 2000, p. 200, cat. 347 and 348; and, N. Sipovskaia, Farfor v Rossii XVIII veka, Moscow, 2008, p. 289, no. 96