An Imperial tazza from the wedding service of the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, Imperial Glass Factory, St Petersburg, period of Nicholas I (1825-1855)

In Russia, in the 1830s, production of ruby-red tainted glass became more and more common in the decorative and applied arts. It was the renowned polymath Mikhail Lomonosov who came up with the colouring technique during the mid-18^th century. When Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, daughter of Nicholas I, married Karl I, King of Wurtemberg at Peterhof on 13 July 1846, she received several wedding services. A silver service by Nicholls & Plincke, a porcelain service by the Imperial Porcelain Factory and a glass service from the Imperial Glass Factory. The ruby-red service, known as the 'Golden Ruby' service, much more demanding and costly to produce than clear glass, was destined as the dessert service.

It is possible that the service of the Golitsyn family, produced in 1850-1860, was inspired by the 'Golden Ruby' Dessert Service. See T. Malinina, Imperial Glass Factory, St Petersburg, 2009, p. 281.