(2) Vintage Russian Gzhel Blue and White Porcelain Serveware Pieces. One is a teapot with whimsical floral decorations and a bird-shaped lid, and the other is a similarly decorated fish-shaped caviar bowl with a lid that makes up the dorsal fins. Both marked on the underside, with the fish dated 1992. 

Largest Size: 12 x 6 1/2 x 8 in. 

Named after a cluster of villages southeast of Moscow, Russia, Gzhel is a style of ceramics recognized for its distinctive blue-on-white designs. The region’s history with pottery dates back to the 14th Century, but it gained official prominence in 1663 when Tsar Alexis designated the area as the exclusive supplier of apothecary vessels for Moscow. While early pieces were made of earthenware and colorful Maiolica, the 19th Century saw the development of high-quality porcelain that rivaled imports from China and England. After a period of decline and nationalization following the Russian Revolution, the craft was revitalized in the mid-20th Century through the work of artists like N. I. Bessarabova. A unique “Atlas of Brushstrokes” was created during this revival to unify the style, which relies on hand-painted cobalt blue applied to a white background. Today, Gzhel remains a symbol of Russian folk art, producing both traditional functional tea sets and decorative figurines.

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