Imperial Porcelain Factory, Saint Petersburg

This museum displays items produced by the Imperial Porcelain Factory over the centuries. From bespoke dinner sets used by Russian royalty to unique constructivist-era tea sets made in the 1920s, you can see how the factory evolved with Russia’s turbulent political history. A highlight is the collection of porcelain statuettes representing famous people of Russia and beyond, dating from the 18th century. The attention to detail is mind blowing with their clothes looking just like real fabric. During the Soviet period, it was renamed  the ‘State Porcelain Factory’ by the Bolsheviks, but in 1925 it was renamed after the founder of the Russian Academy of Science Mikhail Lomonosov. It was under this name that the factory created its most famous ‘colbalt net’ pattern, based on the blue net pattern seen on dinnerware of Catherine the Great. In 2005, the factory returned to its original pre-Soviet name, the Imperial Porcelain Factory.