Heritage Auctions Presents Imperial Porcelain & Russian Works of Art from the Collection of A La Vieille Russie

The December 16 auction celebrates nearly three centuries of Russian artistry, from Imperial porcelain to a Makovsky portrait with a rediscovered Imperial past DOWNLOAD DIGITAL PRESS KIT DALLAS, Texas (Nov. 24, 2025) — Heritage Auctions is honored to present Imperial Porcelain & Russian Works of Art from the Collection of A La Vieille Russie, a landmark event that unites Heritage with one of the most respected names in Russian art. Taking place December 16, this unprecedented collaboration with A La Vieille Russie (ALVR) — the venerable New York firm that introduced Fabergé to the United States and has guided the formation of many of the world’s most important private and public collections — marks a milestone in Heritage’s continued leadership in this field. “A La Vieille Russie has defined and developed the market for Russian art in the U.S. since the early 20th century,” says Nick Nicholson, Heritage’s Director of Russian Works of Art. “To present highlights from its collection, works that have informed scholarship and taste for generations, is an extraordinary privilege.” Spanning the 17th through early 20th centuries, the sale brings together masterpieces of porcelain, enamel, metalwork and stone, alongside a portrait by Konstantin Makovsky with a rediscovered Imperial provenance. Each work illuminates the artistry, ceremony and craftsmanship that flourished under Russia’s Imperial patronage. From early 18th-century silver kovshi to Symbolist ceramics of the early 20th century, the collection of A La Vieille Russie stands as a testament to nearly a century of scholarship, connoisseurship and innovation. As both dealer and custodian, ALVR has shaped the world’s understanding of Russian art and material culture, and continues, from its Fifth Avenue gallery, to offer exceptional European and American jewelry from the 18th century through the 1970s, precious snuff boxes, and remains the leading dealer of important Fabergé in the United States. Military Splendor: The Imperial Porcelain Military Plates Among the auction’s highlights are the Imperial Porcelain Military Plates executed at the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg between 1816 and 1891. Each is a triumph of technical and historical precision, vividly capturing the regiments and pageantry of the Imperial Russian Army. From Jacques François Joseph Swebach’s 1816 depiction of the Cossacks of the Black Sea to plates honoring the Life-Guards Podolsk Cuirassier Regiment, these works epitomize the symbiosis of art and statecraft under Nicholas I. “Each plate was created to depict a specific regiment executing peacetime activities, creating a unique historical document of the entire Imperial army; it is history captured in porcelain,” says Nicholson. The Order Services: St. Andrew, St. Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir, and St. George Equally resplendent are selections from the legendary Order Services produced by the Gardner Factory during the reign of Catherine the Great. The Order of St. George and Order of St. Vladimir Services gleam with black, red and gold sashes encircling jeweled insignia, while the St. Andrew and St. Alexander Nevsky Services feature reticulated baskets and leaf-shaped dishes painted with emblems of Russia’s highest honors. Once reserved for Imperial banquets, these neoclassical masterpieces are today among the most coveted survivals of Russian porcelain design — symbols of valor, faith and the grandeur of state ceremony. Symbolist Brilliance: The “Sadko” Faience Platter After Designs by Mikhail Vrubel A triumph of Russian Art Nouveau, the monumental “Sadko” Faience Platter bridges myth and modernity. Produced around 1905 at the Kuznetsov Factory after a design by Mikhail Vrubel (1856–1910), the platter depicts the legendary musician Sadko in his encounter with the daughter of the Sea King. Its dazzling glazes embody the Symbolist vision of merging art, industry and folklore into a single transcendent aesthetic. The Rediscovered History of a Makovsky Portrait: Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia Commanding the auction’s fine art section is Konstantin Makovsky’s portrait of Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich of Russia, a masterpiece from 1900 painted in Paris for Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna the Elder. Once displayed in the Vladimir Palace, the portrait was sold abroad after the Revolution and its Imperial past forgotten; its reemergence now reconnects it to the lineage of Imperial portraiture. Makovsky’s depiction of the young Grand Duke in naval uniform, rendered in the artist’s trademark luminosity, captures both dynastic confidence and the poignancy of Russia’s final Imperial decades. Imperial Grandeur in Stone: A Rhodonite and Nephrite Athénienne The Gilt-Bronze Mounted Rhodonite and Nephrite Athénienne, attributed to the Imperial Lapidary Factory after a design by I. I. Galberg circa 1840, bridges sculpture and design with consummate refinement. Comparable to examples in the Hermitage and the Metropolitan Museum, this exquisite object reflects Russia’s fascination with classical form executed in native hardstones. “This auction isn’t just a sale,” Nicholson observes. “It’s the story of how Russian art was discovered, preserved, and presented in the West, and how A La Vieille Russie formed the taste of some of the greatest collectors of the 20th century while maintaining the highest standards of quality through exhibitions, publications and the assemblage of the works we will offer on December 16.” This auction is the first of two Signature Russian Art eventsatHeritage this December; it’s followed on December 17 by Imperial Fabergé & Russian Works of Art. Imperial Porcelain & Russian Works of Art from the Collection of A La Vieille Russie will be presented by Heritage Auctions on December 16, in Dallas and online here, where the auction is now open for bidding. Full preview Dec. 8-11 at Heritage’s New York City location. Please go here and scroll down for details. To contact Heritage’s Director of Imperial Fabergé & Russian Works of Art, Nick Nicholson, please email nickn@ha.com. Heritage Auctions is the largest fine art and collectibles auction house founded in the United States, and the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. Heritage maintains offices in New York, Dallas, Beverly Hills, Chicago, Palm Beach, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Heritage also enjoys the highest Online traffic and dollar volume of any auction house on earth (source: SimilarWeb and Hiscox Report). The Internet's most popular auction-house website, HA.com, has more than 2 million registered bidder-members and searchable free archives of 7,000,000 past auction records with prices realized, descriptions and enlargeable photos. Reproduction rights routinely granted to media for photo credit. For breaking stories, follow us: HA.com/Facebook and HA.com/Twitter . Link to this release or view prior press releases . Hi-Res images available: Christina Rees, Director of Public Relations and Communications 214-409-1341; CRees@HA.com