A large porcelain group: Ivan Tsarevich riding the wolf, Sergei Mikhailovich Orlov, circa 1940 Iv

A large porcelain group: Ivan Tsarevich riding the wolf, Sergei Mikhailovich Orlov, circa 1940 Ivan depicted riding with Helen the Beautiful over mythical creatures and peasants, further decorated with delicate flowers, signed Orlov in Cyrillic, the marble oval base with bronze presentation plaque dedicated in Cyrillic: to Mr W.A. Harriman, Ambassador for United States of America, from the USSR Commissar for Foreign Affairs, V.M. Molotov, Moscow, June 1944 32.5 by 46cm., 12.75 by 18in Provenance Presented to William A. Harriman, by Vyacheslav M. Molotov in 1944 William Harriman served as the US Ambassador to the Soviet Union between 1943 and 1946. This porcelain sculpture was reputedly given to Harriman as a gift of gratitude from the USSR on the Third Anniversary of the Lend Lease Act of 1941. This was the name of the program set up by the United States to provide their WW2 allies, including Russia, with aid, munitions and supplies. As foreign minister Molotov orchestrated the non-aggression treaty between Germany and the Soviet Union in 1941 which has since been known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.