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 the blue mark of the Kuznetsov porcelain factory (circa 1908), from the service used by Tsar Nicholas II and the Imperial Russian Romanov family aboard the Russian Imperial Yacht "Standart". The plate (9 inches in diameter) is decorated with two gold bands on the rim and a depiction of the double-headed eagle with the Russian Imperial Tsarist coats of arms in black, gold, blue, and red. There are minor age marks on the outer gold rim and minor paint loss in the center of the eagle's coat of arms. Approximately VG Matvey Kuznetsov owned nearly all the porcelain factories in Russia, including Verbilki, the Gzhel region, 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, and replacements were produced until 1914. Although a significant quantity was produced over the years, research after World War I indicated that only about 1,000 pieces survived. The "Standart" was launched in 1895 and was the largest Imperial yacht of its time. The "Standart" was fitted 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.