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Badge of the Order of St Stanislaus, 2nd Class: CM.1501-2009

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

State: Russia

Entities

Categories

Description

The Order of St Stanislas was Polish in origin, being founded by the Polish king of that name in 1765; it was incoporated with the Russian orders by Tsar Nicholas I after the November Uprising of 1830-1831 in Poland. There were three classes in the Order.
During the collapse of Tsarist Russia in the Revolution of 1917, a Provisional Government was briefly formed to represent the interests of government against the Bolshevik factions of the new order, and then various regional governments were formed in their wake, but what came to be classed as White Russian (as opposed to Red) resistance was eventually (by the end of 1918) crystallised around the Siberian Regional Government led by the Vice-Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak.
Despite the death of not only Tsar Nicholas II in 1917 but Grand Duke Michael his notional successor in 1918, effectively ending the Romanov royal line in whose name they were given, Kolchak's government maintained the issue of royal decorations and orders until the final collapse of the White Russian resistance in 1921, by which time Kolchak, perhaps their most capable military leader, had been made to resign.
This Badge is not named, but we know from its provenance that it was awarded to 2nd Lieutenant John Mitchell, of the Royal Air Force contingent that served in South Russia in support of British forces embroiled in the unsuccessful defence of White Russia, with whose other medals Lester Watson acquired it. Mitchell's endeavours in this theatre won him decorations both for military gallantry and life-saving actions from each of Britain and the White Russians.
Although the catalogue of the Watson Collection considers Mitchell's awards as its Group 7, the medals of that group are not physically attached and so have been treated separately here. Nonetheless it was as a group that Lester Watson purchased them, from the London dealers Baldwin in 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 47.7 mm
Weight: 25.73 g

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1919

Note

Gilt

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Monogram in centre in green & gold enamelled laurel wreath, on crossed swords with double-headed eagle surmounted by shield and with shield on chest at each protrusion, whole on Maltese Cross of eight points with gilt pearl at each corner, ring at each end from uppermost of which is arranged suspension

  • Text: SS
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Monogram in centre on gilt Maltese Cross of eight points with gilt pearl at each point, on crossed swords

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1501-2009
Primary reference Number: 141598
Watson Catalogue: 355
Ordering: M-0387
Previous object number: LW.0365g
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Saturday 22 January 2022 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Badge of the Order of St Stanislaus, 2nd Class" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141598 Accessed: 2024-11-22 11:34:37

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141598 |title=Badge of the Order of St Stanislaus, 2nd Class |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 11:34:37|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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