A Rare Russian Glass Vase, Imperial Glass Manufactory, St. Petersburg, Period of Alexander II (1855-1881)

the hand blown green glass intricately painted in polychrome enamels with interlacing ornament, the borders decorated with floral bands and geometric ornament

For similar works in the collections of the Hermitage and other major Russian museums, see Tamara Malinina, Imperatorskii stekliannyi zavod, 1777-1917, St. Petersburg, 2004, 78-81, p. 144 and N.A. Asharina, Russkoe steklo, Moscow, 1998, pp. 155-159. 

in over all good condition; one small chip to glass near base, minor losses to polychrome enamels and some rubbing to the gilding around the base.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

According to the research recently published by Tamara Malinina, Curator of Glass at the State Hermitage Museum, the white enamel cypher of Alexander II and date on the underside of this vase is one of four types known to have been used by the Imperial Glass Manufactory in this era. Malinina has also demonstrated that so-called "Persian style" decoration in colored enamels, often painted on dark green or dark blue glass, were frequently produced at the Imperial Glass Manufactory in 1870s and 1880s. The painting on this piece is differentiated by the delicacy of the design and the unusually fine application of the decoration.