A set of eight Russian Imperial Porcelain dinner plates...

A set of eight Russian Imperial Porcelain dinner plates

Imperial Porcelain Factory, St. Petersburg, various dates

From the Alexander III Coronation Service, with gilt edges and bands, centering the small state arms of the Russian Empire, all with the green underglaze marks for Nicholas II, one dated 1912, and 7 dated 1913. (8).

Dia: 9 1/4 in. (approx.)

PROVENANCE:

Private collection, New York
Thence by descent

Ordered originally for the coronation of Emperor Alexander III in 1882, the first commissioned order was for 19,000 pieces. A later order was placed before the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II and the the service increased to 47,000 pieces. While the Emperor himself used a gold service at the banquet following the coronation, this service was used for the thousands of guests.

This service was added to extensively, and the offered lot dates from the period of the Romanov Tercentenary celebrations of 1913, when there were further orders. This service was in regular use until the outbreak of World War I.