A SCARCE BREAST STAR AND BADGE OF THE ORDER OF ALEXANDER NEVSKY WITH SWORDS, ALBERT KEIBEL, ST. PETERSBURG, CIRCA 1895. The Star shaped badge with central enameled cipher of St. Alexander, the Latin letters SA beneath a prince's crown encircled by the Russian motto "for Labours and the Fatherland" on a red guilloche ground and crossed with gilded swords (military divison). Verso hallmarked St. Petersburg, 84 standard and Keibel beneath the imperial warrant, the folding pin similarly marked. Width 88mm. The cross-form badge of gold and translucent enamel. At the center a painted enamel medallion displaying an image of St. Alexander Nevesky on horse back. The area between each of the crosses terminals set with an imperial double headed eagle and the entire badge crisscrossed with gilt swords (military division). The suspension loop hallmarked Saint Petersburg, circa 1895, gold standard 56 and the body of medal with Cyrillic makers mark AK (Albert Keibel) beneath the translucent enamel. Width 59 mm. Together with original moir‚ red silk sash (length 92cm) and in the original leather covered and velvet lined issue case. Estimate $25,000-$35,000 After the transfer of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky from Vladimir to St. Petersburg in 1724, Peter I decided to inaugurate an order devoted to the memory of the prince who defeated the Swedes. The order was intended to be awarded for military feats. Peter's sudden death in January 1725 meant that he did not live to see the inauguration. Nevertheless, on 21 May of the same year, at the time of the marriage of Tsarina Anna Petrovna to the Duke of Holstein, the first badges of this order were distributed. They had probably been made earlier, quite possibly while Peter was still alive. The order's robes were established in 1735 by Empress Anna Ioannovna, but its statute not until 1797, under Paul I. The order had no degrees. Its badge (no. 145), a red enamel cross with an image of the prince on horseback, was worn on the right hip on a red ribbon over the left shoulder. The star bears the monogram of St. Alexander and the Latin letters SA under a prince's crown, encircled by the order's motto "For Labours and the Fatherland". On ceremonial occasions, the knights wore the order's costume. This consisted of a red velvet cloak with a white lining, and a large star of the order embroidered on the left, a white topcoat with gold braid and an upright cross in the centre, and a black hat with a black and white feather and a cross made from the order's ribbon. The order was awarded to persons who had reached a rank not lower than lieutenant-general or the civilian rank of privy councilor. Since the order was an award for both military and civilian services, from 1855 badges awarded for military feats received an addition in the form of crossed swords, such as the offered lot. For a similar example, albeit the more common Civilian Division, see Sotheby's London, 28 November 2006, Lot #401.

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