Imperial Russia Length of Service Badges

[Chuck In Oregon]

Here are three Imperial length of service badges, one civil and two military, two for twenty years and one for forty.

All are the same general construction, a one-piece obverse clipped to a plate reverse (one plate is not solid) with a pin attached and the ribbon between. I think two of the plates are silver, one brass, but I'm disinclined to take one apart to find out for sure. Each obverse has traces (actually, the military twenty has almost all) of gilt, so they were once golden. The pins are proofed silver and they were also gilted. Only the military 40-Year badge is also hallmarked, and then only on the pin. The hallmark is struck at the edge of the pin and somewhat obscured, but it looks like ПА.

Chuck

[HuliganRS]

Nice little set!

[Guest Rick Research]

Do the ribbons represent the last Order awarded to each individual recipient (Kaiser Wilhelm's 1906 jubilee badge of identical appearance went that route) or are the ribbons particular to the grade of the badges-- as in the Soviet 1944-57 Red Banner for 20 years, Lenin for 25, Red Banner again at 30 years?

[HuliganRS]

Rick,

St. George ribbon for Military and St. Vladimir for Labor.

Officers who had Order of St. George got the actual Order of St. George with XX years across the hirizontal arms.

Officers who had Order of St. Vladimir got the actual Order of St. Vladimir with XX years across the horizontal arms.

Naval Officers recieved an Order (can't remember which one) for 20 something voyages.

Rusty.

[Guest Rick Research]

Ahhh! Between the Tsarist badges and the Indian awards, much interesting and completely unfamiliar learning of new things going on here. Thanks!

[HuliganRS]

Imperial Russia is interesting area to collect.

Expensive and rare.

Almost all Orders were made by private firms. Some of these firms were manufacturing by Imperial decree allowing them to place the eagle as a stamp. Farbrege is one of these, a "Jeweler to the Court".

You have the Russian made pieces that are quite nice and expensive.

You also have the European manufacturers that are not as nice and not as expensive.

Get this: You are awarded with an Order but it's only paper decree. You would go to the jeweler or order from a catalogue based on your financial status. If you were rich, you could do gold. If you were not as rich, you can do gold plated silver or just bronze.

Rusty.

[Bob Hunter]

Rusty, do you know if old Peter Carl dabbled in orders and decorations or was he strictly into Easter Eggs?

[HuliganRS]

Rusty, do you know if old Peter Carl dabbled in orders and decorations or was he strictly into Easter Eggs?

Bob,

The Faberge shop is mainly famous for the eggs but they were the masters at working with silver and produced everything from spoons to picture frames and everything in between.

Their quality is simply unrivaled!

Rusty.