Russia, Imperial. An Order of Saint Andrew, I Class, House of Romanov in Exile, c.1965

(Знак ордена Святого Андрея Первозванного). Instituted 28 November 1698. (ca. 1965 issue by the House of Romanov in Exile). Constructed of 18 carat solid Gold with multi-coloured enamels, consisting of a crowned double-headed Romanov Imperial Eagle with black enameled spread wings highlighted with Gold feathering, overlaid by a blue enameled Saint Andrew’s Cross, bearing a hand-painted image of Saint Andrew the Apostle and Latin script letters “SAPR” for “SANCTUS ANDREAS PATRONUS RUSSIAE” (“SAINT ANDREW, PATRON OF RUSSIA), the reverse continues with the fine detailing of the eagle’s feathers and presents a white enameled scroll with a black Cyrillic inscription of “ЗА ВѢРУ И ВѢРНОСТЬ” (“FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY”), with two visible rivets holding the obverse features in place, the eagles’ heads with dual integral loops and suspension rings connecting to an intricate Gold and enameled crown, the reverse with a clip connecting to the badge’s period original sash ribbon, measuring 815 mm in length, the badge unmarked and measuring 58.12 mm (w) x 62.04 mm (h), the crown measuring 35.79 mm (w) x 30.71 mm (h), with a total weight of 72.2 grams, in extremely fine condition.

Historical Footnote: The Order of Saint Andrew the First-Called was established by Tsar Peter I (Peter the Great) on 30 August 1698, following his return to Russia from a seventeen month diplomatic and fact-finding mission to Western Europe. Enticed by the latter’s preponderance of bejewelled imperial orders, Peter viewed a transition away from the habit of Russian rulers of rewarding bravery and service with estates and gold coins to a system of such orders as a way to bolster his efforts to Europeanise Russia. The Order of Saint Andrew became Imperial Russia’s premier imperial order, and was first bestowed on Fyodor Alekseyevich Golovin on 10 March 1699. Appropriately for its rank and esteem, the Order was awarded to less than one thousand non-royal individuals in the period between its establishment and elimination following the Russian Revolution of 1917 (Peter himself awarded the Order only 38 times). It was automatically awarded to Grand Dukes upon baptism into the Russian Orthodox Church, and to Princes of the Blood upon reaching the age of majority. After Russia expanded its system of orders, both royal and non-royal recipients automatically became Knights of the Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the White Eagle, the Order of Saint Anne, and the Order of Saint Stanislaus. As an award with patronage of the Russian Orthodox Church, on the Feast Day of Saint Andrew (30 November), an annual Liturgy was held in Saint Andrew’s Cathedral on Vasilievsky Island, which bearers of the order were expected to attend. Prophetically, during the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II, the badge of his Order came loose from its collar and fell to the ground; observers at the time speculated that this was a bad omen for his impending reign. Although the award was abolished in 1917 by the Revolutionary government, it continued to be awarded by members of the House of Romanov in exile, with the first such award presented by Prince Gregory Konstantinovich in April 1923.