While Chinese porcelain has existed and been held in high esteem for many centuries, in Russia people started thinking about this type of ceramics only at the beginning of the 18th century. Peter I, having visited Dresden, became acquainted with Meissen porcelain, which had been in use at the Saxon court for several years. The Tsar liked the foreign invention so much that the thought of creating something similar in Russia did not leave him: attempts were made to reveal the secret of making porcelain. Dmitry Vinogradov, a mining engineer who studied metallurgy, succeeded in this.

Vinogradov porcelain turned out to be no worse in quality than Meissen porcelain, and in composition it was close to Chinese. At the same time, exclusively domestic raw materials were used. The first service made from Russian porcelain was made for Peter’s daughter Elizabeth. It was called “Own” and was painted in gold and purple. When Elizaveta Petrovna came to power, she established the Porcelain Manufactory – the first in Russia.

The heyday of domestic porcelain occurred during the reign of Empress Catherine II. The manufactory was renamed the Imperial Porcelain Factory, and its task was to make a profit by producing highly artistic products. There were enough orders, so IFZ did not pursue cheapness. The best sculptors and miniature painters were invited to collaborate, and the import of foreign porcelain products into the country was prohibited.

However, at the beginning of the 19th century, IFZ had competitors – private manufactories that offered similar, but cheaper goods. To avoid losses, the royal factory had to divide production: in some workshops they began to produce cheap tableware for the masses, in others – the usual expensive porcelain for imperial needs.

When Nicholas I ascended the throne, clay for Russian ceramics began to be imported from the French town of Limoges, famous for its exquisite porcelain. The beginning of the reign of Alexander II was marked by the complete replacement of domestic raw materials with foreign ones. There were fewer orders, and more defects. IFZ became unprofitable and was preparing to close. Nicholas II raised the reputation of the Imperial Factory, and already at the beginning of the 20th century, Russian porcelain successfully competed with European porcelain.

The First World War greatly influenced the productivity of the IPP: the few porcelain art products that the plant managed to produce were sold at charity evenings. The money earned was transferred to the hospitals. IFZ became the state porcelain factory after the October Revolution.