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Auction: 17003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 94

(x) A magnificent Russian Order of St. Catherine Grand Cross Badge

Russia, Imperial, Order of St. Catherine, Greater Grand Cross Badge, 94mm including diamond-set suspension loop x 52mm, silver, gold and enamel, enhanced with a total of 197 diamonds of varying cut and size, with 7 large diamonds to the loop, 40 in each of the arms and 66 surrounding the enamel centre and 4 upon the central cross, pawnbroker's mark between rays, miniscule repair to loop, otherwise extremely fine, one of the great phalleristic rarities of the highest order, with original embroidered sash riband

Study and sizing of the diamonds has provided an estimated total weight of around 10.00 carats, with approximately 3.75 carats found in the loop alone.

The Order of St Catherine was instituted in November 1714 by Peter the Great and was the highest Order exclusively bestowed upon ladies. Its statutes stated the recipients should be '...married and unmarried ladies of spotless and religious character.'

In practice those who were bestowed the Order comprised the upper echelons of the Imperial Russian Family, court nobility, foreign Queens and other princesses. The Grand Cross Greater Badge was strictly limited to just 12 members besides the Imperial Family (Russian Orders, Decorations and Medals, R. Werlich, refers).

A Badge of extremely similar manufacture, as awarded to Queen Alexandra and dated to approximately 1860 is observed in Royal Insignia, by S. Patterson, pp.66-69.

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Sold for
£95,000