An Imperial Russian Order of St Anne, 2nd Class, neck badge, in gold by Eduard, circa 1900, in fitted presentation case, attributed to Marc Varenne, Senior Private Secretary to President Armand Fallières, President of the Republic of France (1906-1913).
Imperial Russia: Order of Saint Anne, 2nd Class in gold, top suspension loop marked “56” for 14ct gold along with maker’s mark for Eduard (head), 48mm x 43.5mm, with gold split ring suspension, 15.3g; the obverse with central medallion of finely detailed hand-painted image of Saint Anne; the reverse with analogous white enamelled central medallion bearing the stylised hand-painted initials “A.I.P.F.” for Anna Imperatoris, Petri Filia” (Anna, Emperor Peter’s Daughter), under the enamel the 12 o’clock arm impressed “ARD” (Eduard), the 6 o’clock arm with lower centrally impressed, under the enamel, with the Russian Cyrillic maker’s mark of “ЕДУАРД” for the St. Petersburg-based firm of Eduard. Contained in original presentation read leatherette case, the lid impressed centrally in gold with Russian double headed eagle motif and “CB. A H H bI 2 cT.” above the catch, the box lid gilding somewhat toned.
Condition: One small enamel chip to obverse upper point of 3 o’clock arm, therefore Nearly Extremely Fine.
(Ордена Святой Анны 1-й степени. Крест). The Riassian Imperial Order of Saint Anne was instituted 1735 by Duke Charles Frederick of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp.
