‡ A RUSSIAN PORCELAIN BASKET FROM THE ORDER OF ST VLADIMIR SERVICE, GARDNER FACTORY, VERBILKI, CIRCA 1785

oval, gilt detailed, the canted sides pierced with pales, foliate scrolls and swags painted to the exterior as black and red 'moiré' ribbons suspending the cross of the order, with handles as twisted branches to the undulating rim, the centre painted with the star of the order, blue G mark, painted in red 'G.Ch.' (in Cyrillic) and '9184.', 34.5cm across handles Provenance: acquired by the great-uncle of the vendor, probably in the 1920s The Empress, Catherine the Great, founded the Order of St Vladimir in 1782, in part to mark the twentieth anniversary of her accession to the throne. For the new order, following Francis Gardner's successful production of the first three order services, Catherine's cabinet ordered the largest service thus far, with a total of 120 covers. The Service for the Order of St Vladimir was first used at the Winter Palace at the ceremony held on the saint's feast day, 22 September 1785, the service apparently continuing to be used annually on Vladimir's feast day until the revolution.oval, gilt detailed, the canted sides pierced with pales, foliate scrolls and swags painted to the exterior as black and red 'moiré' ribbons suspending the cross of the order, with handles as twisted branches to the undulating rim, the centre painted with the star of the order, blue G mark, painted in red 'G.Ch.' (in Cyrillic) and '9184.', 34.5cm across handles Provenance: acquired by the great-uncle of the vendor, probably in the 1920s The Empress, Catherine the Great, founded the Order of St Vladimir in 1782, in part to mark the twentieth anniversary of her accession to the throne. For the new order, following Francis Gardner's successful production of the first three order services, Catherine's cabinet ordered the largest service thus far, with a total of 120 covers. The Service for the Order of St Vladimir was first used at the Winter Palace at the ceremony held on the saint's feast day, 22 September 1785, the service apparently continuing to be used annually on Vladimir's feast day until the revolution.