Beginning with the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1741, decorative arts in pre-Revolutionary Russia flourished in both St. Petersburg and Moscow.  In or near the capital, lavish Imperial residences, such as the Winter Palace, Peterhof, and Pavlovsk were in constant need of decoration or redecoration depending on the whim of the reigning Tsar or Tsarina.  Massive porcelain services and impressive silver centerpieces were often the order of the day, creating a source of constant patronage for a host of Russian porcelain, glass and silver factories in both cities. 

Different artistic trends emerged in the empire's two great cities.  Firms in St. Petersburg, the “Window to the West”, catered mostly to the European tastes of its wealthy nobility and Romanov clients, whereas Moscow developed its own “Style Russe”, and was patronized by the growing merchant classes.  This distinctive style emphasized traditional Russian motifs and themes going back to the time of Medieval Muscovy, and was embraced by leading Moscow silversmiths such as Ovchinnikov, Khlebnikov and the Faberge workmaster Feodor Ruckert.  While much art, to say nothing of jewels, was destroyed during the Bolshevik Revolution, a few rare examples survived and are offered here by Marie E. Betteley for sale.  These are listed under Porcelain, Silver and Tsarist Memorabilia.