Empress Elizabeth of Russia had a burning desire to drink her coffee from a Russian- made porcelain cup. It was not a whim, but a matter of national pride. The ancient Chinese secret of porcelain-making had been unraveled in Europe by the mid-18th century, and no home could claim to be truly aristocratic unless it had a set of expensive Meissen porcelain conspicuously on display. Peter the Great’s daughter Elizabeth promised herself that Russia would one day produce porcelain of matching or superior quality – an achievement that would have made her father, who had a similar desire, proud. A small factory was erected in 1744 on the outskirts of St. Petersburg. In it, young scientist Dmitry Vinogradov conducted his experiments. Just a century later, and this enterprise had taken on the grand name of the Imperial Porcelain Factory and was producing amazingly beautiful pieces of exquisite quality. Rulers have come and gone, fashions in design and decoration have changed many times over, and the factory has survived multiple wars and revolutions. Not only has it managed to stay at the same location over the years, but it has also become one of the most important and recognized Russian brands.