RARE antique Russian Imperial porcelain coffee cup and saucer from the Golden service of the Livadia palace in the Crimea, a summer residence of Russian Czars built by Alexander II on the Black sea coast.

The cup and saucer were made in 1880 at the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Diameter of the saucer 5 5/8 in. (14,5 cm); height of the cup 2 1/2 in. (6,5 cm)

This is the original service which was made for the newly built palace. There were two more known services of the Livadia palace. This golden service is the rarest and the earliest.

Provenance: Ex-George R. Hann collection, Christie’s New York sale April 17-18, 1980, Lot 218.

The cup is painted with the Russian Imperial crown on a Royal blue ground. Wide two-tone gold bands are etched with scrolling foliage.

Both pieces are marked with green cipher of Tsar Alexander II.

The saucer is dated (18)80. Dated marks were rarely used during the reign of Tsar Alexander II.