1941 Transcaucasian Military District Gratitude Certificate.

[CtahhR]

Here is another one of my marketplace purchases from the best source of Georgian goodies around.

This pre-Great Patriotic War "Gratitude" certificate is a completely different beast to the "Gratitudes" from after the German invasion. Unlike those certificates which are usually monotone and frequently also unillustrated and produced on very poor quality paper, This larger than A4 certificate featuring three portraits (Lenin, Stalin and Voroshilov) with additional red illustrations is printed on high quality cotton.

Due to the age of this certificate and the turmoil it has survived through it is not surprising that it shows a good amount of wear. The first photo here is my "touched up" scan of the document and the second is the original marketplace picture. The document has not yet found its way into a frame but it certainly would be nice in one. Strangely awarded to a Ukrainian rather than Georgian.

The document reads;

"Comrade Timchenko, K.
Gratitude
The Municipal Committee of The union of art workers of the Georgian SSR and Military Staff Committee municipal committee notice your active, productive activity for the cultural-mentoring work in parts of the Transcaucasian Military District declare to you gratitude."