A porcelain plate from the St. Vladimir order service

The success of the Gardner Porcelain Factory, founded by Francis Gardner in 1766, was finally assured by the commission from Catherine II for the ceremonial Order services. The services were for use at the yearly sessions of the cermonial orders of St. George, completed 1778, St. Andrew and St. Aleksander Nevskii, completed 1780. The success of these services lead to a further ukaz in 1783 for the order of St. Vladimir, for one hundred and forty knights, completed in 1785. This was the most expensive of the order services at a cost of 15,000 roubles.