Imperial Porcelain Manufactory" IPM JSC

Established in 1744 in St. Petersburg by the order of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of the city’s founder Peter the Great, the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory became the first porcelain factory in Russia and the third one in Europe.It was here that D. Vinogradov, a talented Russian scientist, distilled the secret of the so-called “white gold”. He was the first in the history of ceramics to drawing up the scientific description of the porcelain manufacturing process close to the latest concepts of ceramic chemistry.Initially called the Neva Porcelain Manufactory, the factory-made accessories for Empress Elizabeth who used them as presents for her attendants and diplomatic gifts. As soon as Vinogradov managed to construct a wide hearth in 1756, larger items became available and the first dinner set was made for Her Majesty.After Catherine II took to the throne (1762–1796), the factory was re-organized and renamed the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory in 1765. The end of the ХVIII century is considered to be the “golden age” of Russian porcelain. The Imperial Porcelain Manufactory was one of Europe’s finest. With such grand dinner sets as "Arabeskovy", "Yakhtinsky" and "Kabinetsky" numbering up to a thousand items, the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory reached the pinnacle of fame.During the reign of Alexander I (1801–1825), the manufactory was controlled by Count Dmitry Guryev, a trusted advisor of the Emperor. He initiated a major re-organization under the leadership of F. Guttenberger, Professor of Engineering at the University of Geneva. Count Guryev spared no expense in attracting the best local and foreign experts.