Help to Identify Medal

[miken]

Need help to identify this medal
Thanks
Mike

[Wild Card]

You have a very nice Russian Order of St. Stanislas 3rd class there.

I can not tell if it is Czarist or Kerensky, but either way it is a beautiful
decoration.

Congratulations!

Wild Card

[gregM]

I was going to guess Russian but held off because I figured I had a good
better than even chance of being wrong and I knew Chris would be able to tell us what it is.

Great looking award

[miken]

Thanks guys
Can you tell me something about it. Why was it awarded and what era in time.
Thanks
Mike

[Claudius]

It was orginally a Polish order founded in 1765, but the russian goverment created new statues for the award in 1845. It comes in four orders and could be bestowed for distinguished military or civil service.

Your cross has no swords, so likely for civil service. A publication mentions several civil reasons why someone could get the award, not the least is; contributions toward founding of churches, factories, discoveries in agriculture/science, or repeated successful service in goverment or performing work that required a specialized skill.

The order interesting (I think) because not only are there the swords/no swords versions, there are Christian/non-Christian verisons, Imperial/provisional goverment versions.

And you will also come across "black" Stans. (as well as black Anne Crosses) I believe some these were created/awarded after the fall of the Romanovs.

Again, it looks like a very nice award you have. Please post the reserve too!

[miken]

Here is Reverse

[saschaw]

Looks like a German mounting. Many of those were awarded, it was the lowest ranking Russian order. Seems to be made of gold, and seems to be Imperial era.

Nice find!

[miken]

From what I have read it's second only to the white eagle.
Mike

[Wild Card]

Where? I would really like to know your source, this is how we learn.

You still have to account for St. Andrew, St. Catherine, Alexander Nevsky, St. Vladimir and St. Anna - all of which, I thought were more prominent.

With regard to Claudius’ reference to “black” Stans and Anna’s. While there are quite a few (especially Annas) such pieces from the post Romanoff era, there is another aspect to this. Around the 1850’s, jewelers started producing pieces with the red enamel increasingly darker until they became virtually black. At some point, for whatever reason, they went back to true red.

Below is a St. Stanislas second class cross from the 1850’s. If viewed closely under a very bright light, there is a trace of red in there.

Regards,

Wild Card

[juoneen]

gold marks are sometimes different

Are there any marks stamped into the medal itself anywhere...look it over good. The marks will determine its gold or not, but it appears to be gold to me also at first glance. Nice medal. That enamel is attractive. (Both are nice)

[miken]

This is a link http://www.gwpda.org/medals/russmedl/russia.htmlto where I saw that it was second only to the white eagle.
There are markings on the medal. I don't want to take it apart to check for more. It's the best picture I can take at the moment.
Mike

[saschaw]

Wow Wild Card, great one in great quality.

I recently had a group of Russian orders that contained a set of awarded crosses in red, plus an additional set in very dark red, almost black enemals. They were neither from the 1850s nor from post-Romanov days, but roughly about 1890.

So, "black" ones seem to have been available all over the time.

[Wild Card]

Hello Miken,

Unfortunately, I can not seem to pull up “http://www.gwpda.org/medals/russmedl/russia.htmlto”, but I think that I may have the answer anyway.

While both the White Eagle and St. Stanislas orders are generally recognized as being Russian, in point of fact, they were originally founded by the Polish. At some point in the first half of the nineteenth century, I think that it was in 1831, they became Russian orders.

Now, under the original Polish structure, the St. Stanislas Order very likely did rank second to the White Eagle; but, keep in mind, as I pointed out above, that under the Russian system it was at the end of a long line.

Regards,

Wild Card

[miken]

Here's the link again hope I got it right this time.
Thanks for all the information on a subject I know nothing about its been very helpfull.
Any idea on value for this medal?

http://www.gwpda.org/medals/russmedl/russia.html

Thanks again
Mike

[Brian S]

Here is Lt Gen Gunther v. Etzel's;