Russian Tea Set

Q: I bought this Russian tea set — a teapot, sugar, 6 cups & saucers, and 5 glasses. It looks like the rims are 22K gold. The logo is mysterious. Can you tell me who made it?

A: Your tea set may have been made by the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory of St. Petersburg, Russia. The factory was the first porcelain factory in Russia, founded by a decree of Empress Elizabeth, Peter the Great’s daughter, in 1744. It became the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory in 1765. In 1918, after the Russian revolution began, it became the State Porcelain Factory. St. Petersburg was renamed Leningrad in 1924 and the factory was renamed the Leningrad Porcelain Factory. The initials “LFZ” are for Leningradski Farforovyi Zavod, the name in Russian. The factory was privatized in 1993 and became the Lomonosov Porcelain Factory. The name of the factory was changed back to the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory in 2005. The company is still in business and uses a different mark with the same stylized Russian letters, “LFZ.” Your tea set was probably made after 1925. The code “1C” under the mark indicates the porcelain is first quality. The glasses are probably not part of the tea set. Russian tea glasses usually have a straight bottom so they can fit into a metal holder with a handle. Fake Lomonosov porcelain has been made in China and is being sold online. The company suggests contacting them before buying Lomonosov porcelain online and they will help identify the item so you can be sure it’s authentic. Contact information is listed on the company’s website (www.lomonosov-russia.com).