Kekerikeksinen Palace

[Remio]

In December 2004, a plate from the "frog service" has been sold. This service was commissionned by Catherine the great for this palace. Does someone have informations about this palace?? ???Thank you.

[Mike]

The palace, built by Y. Felten in a Petersburg suburb named Kekerekeksinen (presumably Frog Swamp in Finnish),  was soon renamed the Chesma Palace, in memory of Russia's sea victory over Turkey. It still exists at 15, Gastello St.:


The pink structure in front of the palace is the picturesque Chesma Church:

[Remio]

thank you very much Mike for these informations. ;)Does someone have a plan of this palace??

[BobG]

Here's another view and a plan of the central section.





BobG

I also have a close up view of a plate from the Frog Service I took at the Hermitage if anyone is interested.

[Remio]

thank you very much!!!!

[NAAOTMA]

Wedgwood reissued the Frog Service dessert plates a few years ago. I have six of them from that reissue. They are charming.

[hikaru]

Actually the frog service is in the Hermitage.
It is supposed that the whole service set had to be in the Hermitage. :-/

[Joanna]

I also have a close up view of a plate from the Frog Service I took at the Hermitage if anyone is interested.

In 1909 "The Imperial Russian Dinner Service : A Story of a Famous Work by Josiah Wedgwood" by George Charles Williamson was published in a limited edition of 300. I will see it next week but this may relate to the Frog Service.

Joanna

[Annetta]

In December 2004, a plate from the "frog service" has been sold. This service was commissionned by Catherine the great for this palace. Does someone have informations about this palace?? ???Thank you.

this palace was built as a house on the way from Petersburg to Moscow to take a rest.
i heard that a in the beginning of the 20 th century it was some kind of alms house. after the murder the body of rasputin was brought there, where the autopsy was held. it's said that empress Alexandra visited the Chesma alms-house that night. now the State university is housed there.

[PAVLOV]

Do any pictures of the interiors exist ? Its not exactly a masterpiece of architecture is it ? Compared to everything else, that is. Reminds one of a very small version of Gatchina. Perhaps the inside is more beautiful than the outside.

[Annetta]

the exact name of the palace is Kekerikeksenen.
it's was Catherine's II tradition to built palacecs commemorated to battles. this one was designed as Gothic castle, new pseudo-gothis trend in russian XVIII architecture. little interiors were saved, but here are some pics:

staircase




St.George hall, newly restored

[Joanna]

In 1909 "The Imperial Russian Dinner Service : A Story of a Famous Work by Josiah Wedgwood" by George Charles Williamson was published in a limited edition of 300. I will see it next week but this may relate to the Frog Service.

The book is a masterpiece with photographs. There is an appendix with 'The Complete List of the Wedgwood Service (showing the numbers of each of the illustrations and the articles which are not in existence - February 1909'. The numbers total 1282. The service in 1909 was located in the English Palace of Peterhof. "Illustrations, not one of which has ever been seen before, are all taken from photographs made in Russia by the Emperor's own photographer specially for the book." The author's acknowledgements include the Tsar but also Count Benckendorff and photographers in St. Petersburg Messrs. Boisonnas & Eggler.

Joanna