Emperor Nicholas II and His Porcelain Plate from the Yacht "Standart"

[NICHOLAS II]: (1868-1918) Emperor of Russia 1894-1917. A fine white glazed porcelain plate with a blue mark from the Kuznetsov porcelain factory (circa 1908), originating from the service used by Tsar Nicholas II and the imperial Russian Romanov family aboard the Russian imperial yacht "Standart". The plate (diameter 9 inches) is decorated with two gold bands on the rim and an image of the double-headed eagle with the Russian imperial coats of arms of the Tsar, executed in black, gold, blue, and red. There are minor signs of wear on the outer gold rim, and slight paint loss in the center of the eagle's coat of arms. Around V.G. Matvey Kuznetsov owned almost all the porcelain factories in Russia, including Verbilki, the Gzhel district, Dulevo, the village of Pesochne, and the Yaroslavl region. This porcelain was made for the imperial family around the time of the coronation in 1896, with replacements produced until 1914. Although a significant quantity was produced over the years, research after World War I showed that only about 1,000 pieces survived. The "Standart" was launched in 1895 and at the time was the largest imperial yacht. The "Standart" was equipped with ornamental features, including mahogany paneling, crystal chandeliers, and other amenities that made the vessel a suitable floating palace for the Russian imperial Romanov family. Tsar Nicholas II and his family were vacationing on the "Standart" in the summer of 1914 when they received news of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.