A Soviet Porcelain Cup 'Wedding', State Porcelain Manufactory, Petrograd, 1923

after a design by Alexandra Shchekatikhina-Pototskaia, the body decorated with a prince and princess holding candles on a ground of colourful flowers and ciselé gilt and silvered ornament, gilt handles, one side painted with one of the artist's distinctive 'red faces', signed by factory painter Maria Kirillovna, dated 1923, and numbered 490/3

For two other versions of this design in the collection of the State Russian Museum, see Aleksandra Shchekatikhina-Pototskaia, 1892-1967, St Petersburg, 2009, pp. 43, 54, 133, and 136, ill. nos. 29 and 47, and cat. nos. 17 and 56.

with some small scratches to enamel, particularly on the right side of the red face, also with a small area to the left side of one of the gilded handles which appears to be pooled lacquer or glaze. Possibly sprayed to conceal older restoration or to prevent oxidation of silvering.
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This cup is of particular interest for the unusual layered gilding and silvering employed in the crowns and the candle stand, which rarely appears in Shchekatikhina's designs or in the manufactory's works.  This dessert cup (kremanka) form was only in use briefly at the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory.  The artist has used the curling handles as a humorous element centring one of her distinctive 'red faces'.