Ордена России

The Order of St. Anne, instituted in Holstein in 1735, joined the statute of Russian decorations in 1797 on the coronation day of Paul I and had three classes with an unlimited number of order-bearers. The Order's motto was "To a Lover of Truth, Honour and Loyalty". Early in the 19th century the Order was granted its fourth class, which replacing the former third class, became a military award for junior officers and was attached to the hilt of the presentation sword inscribed with the words "For Bravery".

The Decree on Orders of 1797 ranked the sign of favour of the Order of St. Anne, instituted on November 12, 1796, for soldiers and non-commissioned officers for long service record and special merits, among the insignias of the Order of St. Anne.

In 1831 two Polish orders, the Order of the White Eagle and the Order of St. Stanislaus, joined the statute of Russian decorations. The system of the Russian highest state regalia had practically been formed a/though projects of instituting new orders cropped up once in a while. Beginning with 1845, the pictures of the saints were replaced on all the orders awarded to non-Christians with the depiction of the Russian state coat-of-arms. As of 1855, crossed gold swords were mounted on all the orders, except the Order of St. George, intended for decorating heroes for combat feats. In Russia two foreign orders were awarded to Russian citizens for a brief period of time. At the close of the 18th century Emperor Paul I, elected the Grand Magister of the ancient Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Maltese Order), giving it his preference, awarded this Order to his subjects. Nicholas I awarded the Polish Order Virtuti Military to those who took part in crushing the 1830 Polish revolt.

Every Order had its statute and seal. Visitors will find on display genuine statutes of nearly all Russian orders together with their insignias in the halls of the State Armoury Chamber. The collection of Russian regalia popularizes the history of the appearance and development of the system of Russian decorations and gives an insight into the specific branch of jewelry art. The very first orders were made by the Armoury's masters and in the 18th-beginning of the 19th centuries-this work was entrusted to the best jewellers of St. Petersburg. The 19th century saw the appearance of craftshops and major firms making order insignias of all kinds which employed gold- and silver-smiths, painters and enamellers. High quality processing of the precious metal, radiance and pureness of the enamel of a wide range of tints, the play of light in diamonds lent each and every order an artistic value and inimitable beauty.

V. NIKITINA Head of the Numismatics Section of the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin.

Translated by A. ZDORNYKH.

Большая императорская цепь, знак и звезда ордена св. Андрея Первозванного, 1795-7800 гг.

Золото, серебро, бриллианты, эмаль.

(Алмазный фонд).

В состав государственных регалий наряду с короной, державой и скипетром входили большая цепь ордена Андрея Первозванного с крестом и звезда.

Выполненные в конце XVIII в. для коронации Павла I, в последующие годы они без переделки, как символы государственной власти, использовались для коронации русских императоров. Поражают необычайная роскошь и ювелирное мастерство исполнения всей этой группы предметов. Обращает на себя особенное внимание ажурная орденская цепь - с ослепительным блеском бриллиантового кружева, композиционным совершенством и четким ритмом рисунка. Эти орденские знаки имеют огромную историческую, художественную ценность и представляют большой интерес как образцы ювелирного искусства.

Grand imperial chpin, insignia and star of tie Order of St. Andrew the First-Cabled, 1735-1800.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

(The USSR Diamond Fund)

The Russian state regalias alongside with the crown, the orb and the sceptre included the grand chain of the Order of St Andrew the

First-Called with the cross and the star.

Executed at the end of the 18th century' for the occasion of the coronation of Paul I, they were used without alterations in the following years as the symbols of state power for the coronations of Russian emperors. An exceptional splendour and the skill with which these intricate objects were made truly boggle imagination. What attracts the greatest attention is the open-work order chain with its dazzling glitter of the diamond lace, perfection of composition and precise rhythm of the pattern.

These insignias have great historical and art value and are an interesting examples of jewelry craftsmanship.

Знак ордена св. Андрея Первозванного, середина XVIII в.

Золото, серебро, бриллианты, эмаль.

(Алмазный фонд).

Крест ордена Андрея Первозванного, усыпанный бриллиантами, выполнен с характерным для ранних знаков высокорельефным изображением распятого святого. Оборотная сторона креста - золотая, украшена гравировкой.

The insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, mid-18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

(The USSR Diamond Fund)