A Thirteen-Piece Russian Porcelain Tea Set from the Hunting Service Imperial Porcelain Factory, St. Petersburg, Period of Alexander II (1855-1881) circa 1870 8-1/4 x 6-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches (21.0 x 16.5 x 11.4 cm) (teapot) PROVENANCE: John Atzbach Antiques, Bellevue, Washington; The Kathleen Durdin Collection of Russian Decorative Arts, Tampa, Florida. This set is comprised of augmentation pieces made by the Imperial Porcelain Factory during the reign of Emperor Alexander II for the original Meissen "Hunting" service. The "Hunting Service" was ordered from Meissen for the Oranienbaum Hunting palace by Empress Catherine II, and originally comprised over one thousand pieces. It was the second largest table service produced by Meissen in the 18th century. The empress and subsequent sovereigns found the service so beautiful that replacements and augmentations were made throughout the 19th century. Other Alexander II period pieces for this service were sold, Christie's London, Russian Art, November 29, 2010, lot 373, and more information about this service may be found in von Wolf, N.B., The Imperial Porcelain Factory, 1744-1904, St. Petersburg, 1906, p. 85, see also Pietsch (ed.), Meißen für die Zaren. Porzellan als Mittel sächsisch-russischer Politik im 18. Jahrhundert, Munich 2004, p. 95 ff. The service comprising: 1 teapot; 6 cups; 6 saucers. 13 Total Property from the Kathleen Durdin Collection HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved