How can you recognize an authentic Imperial Porcelain Factory mark?

Authentic marks depend on the period. In the imperial era, pieces often carried a hand-painted or stamped monogram of the reigning tsar, such as the intertwined initials of Nicholas II beneath a crown. During the Soviet period, the factory usually stamped an underglaze mark with the letters “ЛФЗ” (LFZ) or “ЛФЗ СССР,” sometimes inside a circle or under a stylized cup emblem. After the name reverted to Imperial Porcelain, marks shifted to a printed or painted double-headed eagle with the words “Imperial Porcelain St. Petersburg” and the date “1744.” On some export pieces you may see “Made in USSR” or “Made in Russia” paired with these marks. Genuine marks are crisp, cantered near the base, and fired under the glaze or applied with factory-standard stamps. Fake pieces sometimes show blurry, crooked, or oddly coloured marks, or mix elements from different periods that do not belong together. Comparing a suspected item with verified examples from museum or factory sites is a good safeguard.