Imagine you have a cup which you have been using for many years, which has already lost its original luster and paint. Who knows what could this cup actually turn out to be?
Just turn it over and see what's on the bottom!
This is how the marks of the famous Russian workshops look like - Gardner, Dulevo, Kuznetsov, Orlov and Ivanov, the Khrapunov brothers, the Kornilov brothers and Batenin. It was they who supplied china to Central Asia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Khrapunov brothers marks
Kornilov brothers marks
Gardner marks
Dulevo marks
Kuznetsov marks
If you see such a mark, you are very lucky, because your cup is 100 years old, no less. And it might be worth a fortune!
If you can see the outline of a bird on the bottom, it is most likely the bird called Anka, a symbol of the Tashkent Porcelain Factory!
Mark "Bird Anka"
This legendary enterprise started its work in 1953. Its craftsmen invented the cotton pattern Pakhta-gul which eventually became a symbol of Uzbekistan. Most likely you have dishes with this pattern in your home! In pakhta-gul one can see the stems of a cotton bush (guzapaya), leaves, a flower, both open and unopened (kurak) cotton bolls.
Another popular china set of the Tashkent Porcelain Factory is the Golden Deer. Something between the Golden Antelope from Oriental legend and the Silver Hoof from Bazhov's fairy tale. One plate from such a set costs up to $50 today!
Set "Golden Deer"
By the way, the Anka bird is a very positive symbol. It is clear that it was chosen deliberately. This bird is an analogue of the Humo bird of happiness, which brings prosperity and joy to any home!
Read more about Uzbek porcelain in the 28th volume of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections series.
