Three Berlin (K.P.M.) armorial pierced two-handled baskets, from the Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich service, circa 1778

Grand Duke Paul Petrovich, later crowned Paul I Emperor of Russia in 1976, was the son of Emperor Peter III and Catherine II ‘The Great’ of Russia. Paul’s first wife died in childbirth, leaving Paul to remarry a bride of his mother’s choice. In 1776, Paul married Sophia Dorothea of Württemberg, known in Russia as Maria Feodorovna. This match was engineered jointly by Catherine and Frederick II ‘The Great’ of Prussia, solidifying diplomatic relations between the two powers. This service, commissioned by Emperor Frederick II of Prussia for Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, consisted of approximately 360 pieces.