Photo class weapons or technical masters

Original and quite rare photo OTKRYTOGO format in good condition. In the artillery Department, there was a special category of specialists, formally belonged to the lower ranks, but actually occupying a kind of intermediate position between the lower ranks and officers. To be treated class chief feuerwerker, as well as weapons and technical wizard. Class Ober-perserverence doing pyrotechnic work in the factories of the artillery Department,in artillery warehouses and fortresses; preparing them engaged in pyrotechnic branch of the engineering school of the artillery Department. Technical school of the same Department was preparing a class of technical craftsmen engaged in the skilled repair of artillery materiel, as well as machinery and equipment. As for class gunsmiths responsible in the army for maintenance and repair of weapons, their training was in charge of the Armory school in two weapons plants at Tula and Izhevsk. Since 1900, all three listed categories of military personnel enjoy the rights of candidates for class office and after several years of active service received the first class rank of collegiate Registrar. Therefore, equips them the same way as officers swords with the officer's knot, and in 1907 they were assigned the same differences on the shoulder straps, like ensigns – wide longitudinal braid. While it is unknown exactly when the chief fyrverkeri and similar ranks began to wear around the shoulder straps tri-color twisted black-orange-white cord similar to the cord the volunteers. In 1908 on the scarlet shoulder straps were added khaki edging, and from 1909 on top of the lace began to mount artillery emblem. However, this photo was taken during the First world war, judging by the cloth shirt with pockets on the right of the character (such a shirt did not appear until the 1914 – 1915). The upper temporal boundary should be considered as the spring of 1917, when the graduates of the Technical school of the artillery Department was equal in the rights to officers of artillery and were issued with rank of ensign. Because of extreme scarcity of this category ranks pictures of them today almost never occur.