Imperial Russia Stolen St. Andrews

[Jakob Seerup]

These are pictures of the Order of St. Andrew the First Called which was stolen from the Danish Arsenal Museum (Tøjhusmuseet) in January 2005. There wasn't much information about it in the first place, But if anybody can see any details that might help us trace it - and indeed if anyone has actually seen it around - I would be very happy for any information.

The robbers only went for this one order and left everything else untouched. In and out of the building in three minutes. Security has been significantly beefed up since then!

Edited October 9, 2013 by Jakob Seerup

[E Williams]

I visited that museum some years ago, I was really impressed. One of the top five museums I have visited. Went through the Resistance Museum also and the palace of course. Went to Corry Ten Boom's shop. Lot's of great History in Copenhagen. If I remember correctly, I didn't see any security back in the late 60s, early 70s. Loved the fact it was located in an old Cavalry barrack and how a full horse drawn artillery piece dominated the second floor.

I do hope the award is found. It will show up sooner or later somewhere.

[paul wood]

Jakob,

As the company I work for frequently deals with high-end Imperial Russian orders, could you send me better images. If you PM me I will give you my E-mail address and I can put on my stolen file. Alas I suspect it was stolen to order for a very wealthy collector and may never see the light of day again but you never know.

Paul

[JapanX]

I wonder how much this set could cost these days.

I'd say 5-6 millions of dollars ...

P.S. Who was the cavalier?

[larsb001]

No, Nick, no, not 5-6 million dollars, more like 20-30 thousand dollars! At least this was the valuation the museum gave to the press after the theft (if I remember correctly), or maybe THIS valuation had to do with the fact that the museum had been warned many times about the possibility of a theft, especially when one decides to keep such a set in a vitrine with normal 3 mm window glass in an allmost unguarded museum with doors that everybody could kick in?

[JapanX]

You get that right Lars!!!

20-30 thousands?!

Ridiculous ...

P.S. If anyone has original St. Andrew with diamonds for sale in the range of 20-30 thousands, please pm me immediately (I'll take two )

[JapanX]

Food for reflection (about price formation )

From 2010 News Archive

Russian Order of St Andrew brings £1.32m World Record price at medals auction

The rare gold and enamel sash badge and breast stars exceeded all expectations in the £4m sale

John George 'Radical Jack' Lambton, first Earl of Durham led an extraordinary political career, mixing support for radical parliamentary movements in his own country whilst becoming a key diplomat, and sometimes close confidante, to some powerful monarchs abroad.

Lambton, with his strange combination of aloof arrogance and staunch reforming zeal played an important role in the early history of Canada (where he is remembered with mixed feelings).

Recently, an extraordinary collection of awards given to Lambton by, variously, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Leopold I of Belgium, Otho of Greece and William IV of England has come to light.

Durham's greatest diplomatic success was certainly his placement in Russia where Nicholas I developed a high opinion of him and relations between the countries thawed, notably to the great benefit of trade.

Early biographer Stuart J Reid wrote,

"'It was a veritable triumph of personality. The Tsar Nicholas was a shrewd judge of men, and was quick to detect either flattery or dissimulation.

"Durham's open nature, his palpable honesty, the moral courage which lurked beneath his conciliatory speech, his broad grasp of first principles, the practical bent of his quick mind, and the imagination which made the sympathy of his warm heart so effective, all appealed to Nicholas."

These successes led both to the award of the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath from William IV - who became a grudging admirer despite being infuriated by Durham's Reform Bill five years earlier - and the great Russian Order of St Andrew.

The Honourable Order of the Bath brought £20,000 yesterday (June 10) at Morton and Eden (in association with Sotheby's) in London but it was by no means the greatest sale of the day.

The 22 lots had a combined estimate of around £500,000, and it was no great surprise that all of them did. But no one predicted the final total would be eight times that listed: a staggering £4,057,080.

The greatest highlights were all Russian and included:

An Order of St Anne Grand Cross insignia sold for £372,000 (estimated at £30,000-40,000), an Order of St Alexander Nevsky insignia achieve £576,000 (with a guide price of £80,000-120,000) and an Order of the White Eagle, listed at £80,000-120,000 but which was taken away for a grand £852,000.

But the top lot by a huge margin was the rare gold and enamel Order of St Andrew. Expected to sell for an already impressive £120,000-180,000, it left the stage at a world record price of £1.32m, to an enthusiastic round of applause.

Edited October 10, 2013 by JapanX

[paul wood]

From 2008

'The week concluded with Sotheby’s sale of works of art on June 12. The star lot was a diamond-set Badge of the Order of St. Andrew, which set an auction record for a piece from a military order when it sold to a Russian collector for £2,729,250 (est. £400–600,000). The badge was commissioned by the Tsar around 1800.' So I would reckon that Nicks valuation for the set was far from bullish.

Paul

[Rogi]

It has diamonds....I would wonder what other breast badge/set of first class with diamonds would go under a mil?

You can get a small diamond ring for that much now a days...so a full set, probably over the amount

[paul wood]

Bulgarian and Portuguese diamond insignia turns up from time to time and don't make massive amounts.

Paul

[Chris Liontas]

I am betting this is sitting in a very wealthy collectors safe right now. Art thefts are nothing new in Europe, why should medals be different??

[JapanX]

Of course it was well prepared pinpoint theft

Chances of finding this set are close to zero ...

[Elmar Lang]

Never say never...

I'm an optimist by nature, but in any case, I think that there are very few chances to see that set again.

Enzo

[Carol I]

Amazing set indeed. I took a photo of it 10 years ago when visiting the museum.

[JapanX]

Thanks for this photo Carol!

[TacHel]

Stunning!

IMHO, stealing from a museum is as low as it gets... That's stealing from the entire society...

[SergioV]

Beautiful Order..