SOVIET PORCELAIN MUG WITH ASTRONAUT YURI GAGARIN PORTRAIT, DULEVO PORCELAIN FACTORY, 1961

centered with portrait of Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin portrait centered on the front of the mug. Yuri was the a Soviet Air Forces pilot and cosmonaut who was the first human to journey to outer space, which was a major milestone in the space race, inscription of '1961' on reverse of mug, factory mark in blue overglaze; dimensions: 7.9 x 9.8 x 6.7 cm (3 1/8 x 3 7/8 x 2 5/8 in.) LITERATURE Oda k radosti / Ode to Joy (Moscow: Pinakotheke, 2008), p. 429, no. 355 (illustrated)