Unidentified ribbon on a Russian lapel bow

[landsknechte]

I have no idea if this style of lapel bow decoration is at all typical for Russians, but they were certainly common enough in Germany. Perhaps, given the improvisation on the St. Vladimir, this was made for a Russian ex-pat in Germany. Anyhow, my read on this is:

1. Order of St. Anne

2. Order of St. Stanislaus

3. Order of St. Vladimir

4. ?

5. ?

Does anyone have any clue what #4 might be representing in the context of a Russian bar?

--Chris

[Pete A]

Hi Chris.

Not a very typical Russian style, like you said. For #4, I'd go with the Greek Order of the Redeemer. When looking at the close relations between the Russians and the Greeks, that would seem like the most logical choice. As for #5, I have no idea. It looks like St. Anne. All the russian medals used the ribbons of their orders, so maybe it's one of those?

Pete

[Christophe]

Hi Chris.

Not a very typical Russian style, like you said. For #4, I'd go with the Greek Order of the Redeemer. When looking at the close relations between the Russians and the Greeks, that would seem like the most logical choice. As for #5, I have no idea. It looks like St. Anne. All the russian medals used the ribbons of their orders, so maybe it's one of those?

Pete

Pete,

I don't think...

The Greek Order of the Redeemer should have a very thin light blue strip on each edge / border of the ribbon. This is not the case here.

About the Russian medals inspired by St Anne ribbon, the yellow strip should be narrower than the one of the lapel bow...

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers.

Ch.

Edited October 23, 2005 by Christophe

[Pete A]

Pete,

I don't think...

The Greek Order of the Redeemer should have a very thin light blue strip on each edge / border of the ribbon. This is not the case here.

About the Russian medals inspired by St Anne ribbon, the yellow strip should be narrower than the one of the lapel bow...

Just my 2 cents.

Cheers.

Ch.

Christophe,

So it seems. I guess it's time for new eye-glasses.. .. and regarding the st anne, you are also right. I was merely thinking, that since this really looks like a german-made piece, could this have been a case of "close enough" with the ribbons?

How about Militar Ordem de Nossa Senhora de Concei??o de Vila Vi?osa from Portugal, then?

Pete

[landsknechte]

Take a close look at the ribbon for the St. Vladimir - it looks rather homemade being cobbled together out of two pieces of ribbon. I suspect that there are a few of the ribbons on here that were called in to service as "close enogh" expediencies. That blue and white ribbon could be leftover Bavarian Landwehr miniature ribbon (as below) used to represent something else.

--Chris

[Pete A]

Take a close look at the ribbon for the St. Vladimir - it looks rather homemade being cobbled together out of two pieces of ribbon. I suspect that there are a few of the ribbons on here that were called in to service as "close enogh" expediencies. That blue and white ribbon could be leftover Bavarian Landwehr miniature ribbon (as below) used to represent something else.

--Chris

True, I didn't even pay attention to that St. Vladimir at first, but now that you mentioned it, it does look like the red stripe is sewn on top of the black one?

Pete

[landsknechte]

True, I didn't even pay attention to that St. Vladimir at first, but now that you mentioned it, it does look like the red stripe is sewn on top of the black one?

Pete

The St. Stanislaus would have likely been one of the easier ones to come by in Germany, and the ribbon on this lapel bow certainly looks like a regular St. Stanislaus ribbon. I suspect that the two that look like the St. Anne ribbon are "make do" ribbons as well, probably Baden Long Service ribbons (although there are a few that are close enough in appearance). Notice how much wider the stripes are on those ribbons than the normal St. Anne ribbons.

[Pete A]

The St. Stanislaus would have likely been one of the easier ones to come by in Germany, and the ribbon on this lapel bow certainly looks like a regular St. Stanislaus ribbon. I suspect that the two that look like the St. Anne ribbon are "make do" ribbons as well, probably Baden Long Service ribbons (although there are a few that are close enough in appearance). Notice how much wider the stripes are on those ribbons than the normal St. Anne ribbons.

Wouldn't be the first time when Germans would use look-alike ribbons. If this really is a home-made, close-enough bow, I'd still vote the #4 being a Redeemer-order.

Pete

[Stogieman]

Just folded I think, not sewn........

[Stogieman]

PS: C'mon Chris, this is no time to be coy......... explain your obsession with blue ribbons with white edges again!

[Ulsterman]

I vote Greek Redeemer Order also. These awards all point to "Merit" rather than "battlefield" as well as "officer". Berlin had a large White Russian community well into the 1930s and there were even a few remnants into the 1970s. The lapel bow is uniquely German in style, unusual and not "sexy" enough to be a cash-magnet fake, so I think it's exiled White Russian officer @ 1920s stuff. Nice.

[landsknechte]

PS: C'mon Chris, this is no time to be coy......... explain your obsession with blue ribbons with white edges again!

The clinical term is obsessive compulsive disorder.