Imperial Russian Badges.

[Alfred]

Hello,

can somebody identify these russian badge. It has no marks or stamps.
Could these be a fake?

regards
Andreas

[Alfred]

What do you think about this badge. The mark in the left corner is not sharp and unclear.

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by Alfred

Hello,

can somebody identify these russian badge. It has no marks or stamps.
Could these be a fake?

regards
Andreas

The first one is "praporschik school" badge. Officers courses for those who graduated civil colleage.
The second one is Russian Imperial Doctor Badge for those who graduated non military medical academy.
Both badges look original to me. They are not very rare.

[Nota Bene]

Eugene,

Imperial badges have never been my forte, but I am not so sure about the first one. "Praporshik" schools badges would normally have school's initials in stead of the St. George. This one doesn't, much like the Provisional Government badges, but the Eagle still wears the crown. Looks like an unusual variation, or am I wrong?

Alexei

[j h beers]

For what it's worth, based on fifteen years of collecting imperial badges, I would not be interested in the second badge at all. Its construction reminds me too much of older, early "upper-end" copies of imperial badges that were produced either just before or at the time of the Soviet Union's demise. On the other hand, the diamond shaped graduation badge might be real, but even for war-time manufacture the enamel - at least in the photo - seems too sloppy.

For the record, I've wanted to buy one of the "officer-commissioning-badges-for-classes-made-up-of college-graduates" for over ten years and I've never seen one for sale at a show in the NYC / Phila. area... My experience has been that they are reasonably tough to locate.

Jim

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by Nota Bene

Eugene,

Imperial badges have never been my forte, but I am not so sure about the first one. "Praporshik" schools badges would normally have school's initials in stead of the St. George. This one doesn't, much like the Provisional Government badges, but the Eagle still wears the crown. Looks like an unusual variation, or am I wrong?

Alexei

Alexei,
As far as I know even Provisin Government school had initials. This is definately imperial time badge and it's definately School of Ensigns (praporshchik). No other badges had such configuration. I can not tell why it has St. George instead of school initial. I never saw such variation either. Maybe, the person wanted for some reason to hide the name of the school and replaced initials with the St. George.
Eugene

[Nota Bene]

Eugene,

My point exactly - an interesting piece.

I have seen a Provisional Government (Eagle without the royal simbols) Praporshik school badge without the initials. Could be a late issue, who knows.

Alexei

[new world]

Here's similar badge - no school initials as well.

William

[new world]

Miniature of the school badge.

[j h beers]

Your pix are of the "standard" Russian university graduation badge. They never had any differentiating initials of specific universities on them.

The WWI version for officer courses (a version is shown at the begining of this thread) had the wide-spread "Nicholas I" 19th C. imperial eagle perching at the top of the diamond.

The main badge reference books show those WW I era eagles with enameled shields on their chests that bear the initials of specific officer "schools."

Jim