A Set of Five Russian Soup Plates from the Kremlin Service, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg, Period of Nicholas I (1825-1855)

the centers painted with stylized swirling foliage with blue tulips centering on a coral-colored rosette, all set against a black ground within a border of green heart-shaped leaves, the remainder of the plate with elongated palmettes in blue-green and black on a richly ornamented ciselé gilt ground with arches relieved by white foliate ornamentation, the tooled, gilded rim painted with a band of simulated red and green jewels, the foot with a gilt band.

The Kremlin Palace
"Magnificent Imperial Russian Banqueting Services," Christie's London, March 21, 1967
Anonymous
Sotheby's London, February 19, 1998, lot 281, illustrated

with some rubbing to gilding and stacking wear
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.

This service was commissioned for use in the Great Kremlin Palace, the official Moscow residence for the Imperial family, when the process of renovating, and ultimately rebuilding, the palace began in 1837. The palace was designed by the architect Konstantin Ton (1794-1881) with a brief from the Emperor to create a building in the Russian Style showing the influence of Byzantium. The task of designing the new service for use in the residence fell to the talented student and future professor of the Academy of Arts Fedor Solntsev (1801-1892), who had been studying and recording Russian antiquities. He drew upon 17th century metalwork as a model; in the case of these serving dishes, the source was the interior of a richly jeweled tazza that was part of an ablution set belonging to Tsaritsa Natalia Kirillovna housed in the Kremlin Armory Museum. See T. Kudriavtseva, Russian Imperial Porcelain, St. Petersburg, 2003, pp. 130-132.