A rare Russian porcelain ice cup from the porcelain service for the cavaliers of the Order of St. Vladimir, Gardner Factory, 1783-1785. The cup’s form is based on those of the Berlin Service (given to Catherine II by Frederick the Great in 1772), the bowl painted with the red and black moire sash of the order centering the Order’s star, the handle molded and painted in imitation of a branch with leafy terminal, the slip-on, domed cover similarly decorated with the order’s red and black moire silk ribbon centering a gilt blossom, the underside of the cup with dark grey factory mark and a small circle impressed impressed in the paste. Scattered red markings are probably the remains of the Winter Palace Inventory marks made by the Court Marshall’s office; these were usually in this shade of bright reddish orange. Height 4 3/8 in. (11.1 cm).