46 - A FINE OVAL PORCELAIN SERVING PLATTER FROM THE RAPHAEL SERVICE; Russian, St. Petersburg, Imperial Porcelain Factory, Reign of Nicholas II, 1903; painted, gilded. A large overglaze red and gold factory mark “NII 1903” beneath the crown. The Raphael Service was the last great imperial dinner service produced by the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Commissioned in 1883 by Emperor Alexander III to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Raphael’s birth, it was originally intended for the palace at Tsarskoye Selo. Designed by Leonard Leonardovich Schaufelberger, it was based on motifs from the Raphael Loggias in the Vatican, copies of which also adorn the loggias of the Hermitage. Alexander III personally approved the initial designs for the service, which took over 20 years to produce and was not completed until 1903. 28.2 cm long. It took over 20 years to complete and was not finished until 1903. Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, Sale of April 21, 2010, lot 240.

A FINE OVAL PORCELAIN SERVING PLATTER FROM THE RAPHAEL SERVICE; Russian, St. Petersburg, Imperial Porcelain Factory, Reign of Nicholas II, 1903; painted, gilded. A large overglaze red and gold factory mark “NII 1903” beneath the crown. The Raphael Service was the last great imperial dinner service produced by the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Commissioned in 1883 by Emperor Alexander III to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Raphael’s birth, it was originally intended for the palace at Tsarskoye Selo. Designed by Leonard Leonardovich Schaufelberger, it was based on motifs from the Raphael Loggias in the Vatican, copies of which also adorn the loggias of the Hermitage. Alexander III personally approved the initial designs for the service, which took over 20 years to produce and was not completed until 1903. 28.2 cm long. It took over 20 years to complete and was not finished until 1903. Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, Sale of April 21, 2010, lot 240. FINE OVAL SERVING PLATE FROM THE RAFFAEL SET Russia, St. Petersburg, Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, Nicholas II period, 1903 Porcelain, polychrome overglaze painting, gold trim. L. 28.2 cm. Large overglaze red and gold manufacturer’s mark ‘NII 1903’ beneath a crown. The Raphael Service was the last major imperial table service produced by the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory. It was commissioned in 1883 by Emperor Alexander III to mark the 400th anniversary of Raphael’s birth and was originally intended for the palace in Tsarskoye Selo. It was designed by Leonard Leonardovich Schaufelberger based on motifs from Raphael’s loggias in the Vatican, replicas of which also adorn the loggias of the Hermitage. Alexander III personally approved the initial designs for the service, whose production spanned 20 years and was not completed until 1903. Provenance: Sotheby’s New York, auction of April 21, 2010, Lot 240.