This lovely blue and white handmade Russian porcelain figurine is unusual in that it has too rounded and shallow a bowl at the top for a candle and yet it's a bit small around to be an egg holder. My guess is that it might have been used to display a prize glass egg like a Fabrege Egg where you would want the majority of the egg to be visible. Although the trademark on the egg holder says "P" the piece looks like Gzhel pottery. Gzhel is a picturesque area 60 kilometers SE of Moscow and is known as one of the oldest and largest centers of china production in Russia. Archaeoligicsts have found pottery there going all the way back to the 14th century. These blue and white porcelain figurines have been produced there since the 19th century.
This egg holder (if that's what it is) is in excellent condition and was probably made in the 1980s or 90s. It has no chips, cracks or crazing and the colors are vivid and shiny. It stands about 4 inches tall and is 3 inches at it widest point. The top of the cup has a small round cup.
A great addition to any international pottery collection or give it to a friend as a unique handmade Russian collectible. Buy it today while it lasts!
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