Imperial Russia St. Anne Order w/swords -filigree and sword in SILVER?

[Claudius]

Hello;

Last night I was among a group of non-members that was invited to a private Men’s Club for a St. Patrick Day celebration and party. I didn’t notice it on the way in through the lobby, but on the way out I paused to view one of their many wall-hanging shadow boxes full of mementoes and the organization's related bric-a-brac. One of the shadow boxes was filled with many commemorative lapel pins from the their past stretching back nearly 100 years.

I believe they were collected from past members who either donated them, or died and their estate gave them back to the organization (that originally awarded them). There were all ornate, inscribed and a mildly interesting.

It was then to my great surprise that in the corner I noticed, what appeared to be, the reverse side of a St. Anne Order, with swords. How did that get in there? I believe some past member died and when they combed through his belongings found it with his military service medals and other club pins and stuff. They donated it to the club and put it in their display along with a bunch of other collected pins.

However this St. Anne was just a little different. The typical red enamel, but the filigree and swords were in silver (now tarnished). Not the typical gold I would expect.

My question; Is a silver St. Anne a 1920s era, made for the Allies St. Anne, or is it some other variant? I have seen swords on made-for-Allies St. Annes. They appear longer, and slightly thinner than the gold Russian ones. But this was in silver, and the filigree was fully three dimensional on the reverse side. Not the typical flat on reverse side and three dimensional on the obverse.

Sorry I don’t have a photo, but some of the other members were lingering in the lobby and I don’t think they would understand why I would want to photo their precious trinket. Besides, what I would really like to do is to have someone take the display down and open the case so I could look at the other side (the obverse).

[Igor Ostapenko]

French production - silver gilded orders , like this http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/7916-french-medals-group/

[paul wood]

I would agree with Igor. Russian manufacured pieces are either in gold or from about 1916 in bronze gilt, in all cases should be marked. Nex time bribe the care take with bottle of old and rare to let you have a look at it.

Paul

[Claudius]

I would agree with Igor. Russian manufacured pieces are either in gold or from about 1916 in bronze gilt, in all cases should be marked. Nex time bribe the care take with bottle of old and rare to let you have a look at it.

Paul

Agreed.

If I could just see the St. Anne portrait that would have been very informative as to maker. I can't image why the order is flipped, unless the obverse’s center disk fell out and the reverse's light-blue "swish-swish" lines on the back on the white porcelain looked more attractive than a hole in the center.