The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-08-05
COSTLY CHINA.
How Much the Czarina of Russia
Paws for Her Dishes.

The Winter palace at st. Petersburg,
Russia, with the exception of the Vati-
can at Rome is the largest residence in
the world. 1t has 700 rooms. many OF
them of enormous size, and some SO
large that the White House at Washing
ton could be erected in them, portico
and all. 1t is said tina 5000 soldiers have
been sheltered under it's roof. The Car
does not occupy it very often. as he
prefers the smaller and more comfort
able palaces at Peterhoff and Carts
chinae but most of the court balls, ban
quets and other official functions take
place there. He has six palaces in and
around Petersburg, but those are his
favorites.
The store rooms of the Winter palace
are filled with the china of the Russian
Cars as far back as Catherine the
Great, and here the lady collector was
able to obtain samples by purchasing
them of the attendants who brought the
pieces to the hotel one at a time for
several days afterward, and demand
ed only moderate prices-not more h
some plates would be worth at a shop
without considering the value of associa-
ton. The Imperial china is all of Rus
sian manufacture. and does not equal in
quality nor IN lQSIer Inc product OIL AUS
tria and Germany or France: 1t is plain
and coarse. and the decorations are not
very artistic, although there is in the
| Winter palace a world-fanous table SER
/ vice of solid silver overlaid with gold
tina will furnish a banquet of 500 COW
ers. It dates Jack to the time Of the
of Catherine e Great.
The plates used by all the Cars are
larger than the ordinary size; Those of
tional designs of blue and gold. and bore
the imperial crest in the center. Gather
inc the Great was one of the most
luxurious and profligate monarchS in his
tory. She is known as the Cleopatra of
| modern times. She was a liberal patron
| palace that she called The Hermitage,
with one of the finest pictures and stat
uary in the world. and called to her
capital the most famous artists as we'll
as the most famous poets and artists
in Europe. Her taste was exquisite
more to be admired than her morals
| and it would be natural to find in her
| collection the most beautiful of china,
but it is commonplace.
Nicholas. the Iron Gar" as he was
called, used enormous plates, and cups
| and saucers. of the commonest china,
heavy and coarse. which were also dec,
his initial, with a crown and cross. But
this would be expected of him. for he
was in no sense artistic in his tastes, nor
man of %austere life, and the habits of a
monk. His bedroom. which remains as
he left it., is like a cell in a prison and
on which he died, is harrow and hard,
There is no carpet on the floor, and
in the cupboard is an old Samavor with
which he was accustomed to make his
own tea.
The china of Alexander II, who was as
sassinated by the Nihilists. was a little
better in quality but of similar design,
only it bore the initial A and an Eagle
with outstretched wings. That of the
present Car is of the same pattern, and
| hao re the ga nj initial with thp diSfinn+
i've III under the A, to indicate that it
belongs to the third monarch of that
name,
| smaller palaces is very different and
of much better quality. It was imported
by the Empress from England. but all
| s~trang erS are not allowed to visit them,
and it was found impossible to obtain a
sample.-Philadelphia Press.